


A Thousand Years

by Skyshadow3246, Wolfloner



Series: Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces [25]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bad Parenting, Biting, Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Bottom Loki (Marvel), Bottom Tony Stark, Butt Plugs, Domestic Avengers, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Feelings, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Idiots in Love, Knifeplay, Light Angst, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Mild S&M, POV Loki (Marvel), POV Tony Stark, Parenthood, Past Child Abuse, Personal Growth, Possessive Behavior, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Safeword Use, Top Loki (Marvel), Top Tony Stark, Worship, Yuletide, nothing gross, unsexy things happening during sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-09-25 02:25:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 24,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17112671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyshadow3246/pseuds/Skyshadow3246, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfloner/pseuds/Wolfloner
Summary: More holiday fun times! Time for a generally festive fic for FBiNS! (in that it takes place during the holiday season, lol)Let's be real: it's smut and relationship/character building. (more of all than I excepted, in fact!)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm _pretty sure_ this will be finished before 2018 finishes up. Cross those fingers, friends!  
> And happy holidays, and a happy new year!
> 
> Edited but unbeta'd, all mistakes are mine. Gimme a shout if you see anything that needs fixing!
> 
> Note: I took some artistic liberties with the toy here. While various inflatable insertables exist, none of them work _quite_ like the one described here. But they realistically could!

_ Heart beats fast _ __  
_ Colors and promises _ __  
_ How to be brave? _ __  
_ How can I love when I'm afraid to fall _ __  
_ But watching you stand alone? _ _  
_ __ All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

_ —Christina  _ Perri,  _ A Thousand Years _

 

Loki was pacing again. It had become an increasingly common occurrence over the last few days. They'd had to accept that between Tony's tech and Loki's sorcery, they were tracking the Eagle Cloak as well as was possible. And that it wasn't anywhere on Earth. Which, while not surprising, was a hell of a blow to their morale. 

 

They had been spending a lot of time in the lab, and Loki had taken his agreement to heart. He was determined to figure out a way to make Tony's micro-repeaters obsolete.

 

Tony recognized why it was a good idea, but he still didn't  _ like _ it. Especially when it meant that he had to explain, in detail, how they worked. And how his suits worked with them. And now even how the Arc Reactor figured into the equation. 

 

“How the fuck am I supposed to help create an alternative if you won't tell me anything about  _ anything _ ?” Loki had finally snapped.

 

“I never fucking  _ asked _ for your help with this, did I?” He'd argued right back, until Loki had gotten up in his face, snarling at him. 

 

Which had lead to some pretty fantastic angry sex. So not a total loss, in Tony's mind.

 

Except that Loki was still obviously upset. Not at  _ him, _ as far as Tony could tell, but that he was stuck spinning his wheels, unable to make progress. It was something that Tony understood intimately. He was even starting to rethink his stance and properly ask Loki for help with the micro-repeaters.

 

And then Loki was standing in front of him, looking subdued. “Tony, I want to ask you for your help.”

 

“Ok,” he agreed immediately. 

 

“I want—need to stop thinking.”

 

“Because that's something I'm good at.”

 

“Don't be obtuse,” he chided.

 

Tony opened his mouth to defend himself when realization set in.  _ Oh. _ That kind of not thinking. “Oh, you mean. Yeah.” He reached up and linked their hands together. “I can help with that.”

 

In an ideal world, Tony would have had more than a minute to figure out a plan. But while this was definitely not his strong point, he was good at thinking on his feet. 

 

Plus they'd just bought a new toy that they'd been excited to try. This hadn't really been the plan, but it seemed as good of a time to test it out as any.

 

“Bedroom,” he ordered as he stood. And, yeah, Loki rushing to do what he said simply because he said it was pretty fun. He followed behind at an easy pace.

 

“Undress,” Tony said after sliding the door closed. Technically unnecessary, but he liked the idea of privacy. And more importantly, when they played like this, Loki valued it. The reassurance that no one but Tony would see him like this. 

 

When Loki hesitated, Tony clarified his command. “Without sorcery.”

 

There were reasons they didn't do this often, and Tony being out of his element was only a small factor. He could, and happily would, learn how to do this for Loki, if Loki wished for it. 

 

But Loki wishing for it was rare. He'd spent so much time in various forms of unwilling submission that doing it willingly was a gift. 

 

Thinking on it as Loki slowly pulled off his shirt, this was the first time he could remember Loki  _ asking _ for it. 

 

Once he was naked, he looked over at Tony expectantly. 

 

Tony wondered if he could push his luck. If this request even would  _ be _ pushing his luck. It was definitely something to word as a request. “If you're comfortable with it,” he started slowly, walking closer to his partner, “can I see your tattoos again?”

 

Loki's eyes widened. “You want to?”

 

“Yeah. If that's ok. You don't have to–.”

 

He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Loki's pale skin was flooded with color. The rest of him stayed the same this time, which Tony appreciated, although he wouldn't say so.

 

“Thank you,” he said softly, running his thumb firmly along the scar under Loki's left eye. “I understand why you prefer to hide these, but I want you to know that you're gorgeous like this. Well, so far you're gorgeous in any form you prefer to take, actually.”

 

Loki smiled at the praise. 

 

Tony really was going to have to get Loki to teach him how to read at least some of the runes that decorated his body. “So,” he said, not looking up from the tattoos and scars that he was lightly tracing over. He enjoyed the way that Loki's muscles jumped under his light touch. “That plug we bought the other day? I want to use it on you.”

 

He was hyper aware of how he was wording things. Instinct told him that Loki wouldn't appreciate it if he just announced what was going to be done to him. After a moment Loki nodded.

 

“Ok. On the bed. Lay on your front.”

 

The god went still. The smallest spark of anxiety flit across his face before Tony couldn't read his expression at all.

 

Should he back off? Or not? No, he decided. Loki had asked for this – asked to not have to think. “Go on,” he ordered, nodding towards the bed. “I'll take care of you.”

 

He stepped away and turned his back on Loki as he retrieved their new toy. Either Loki would do what he asked, or he wouldn't. While Tony might prefer to be wrestled down into behaving, he knew well enough that trying that with Loki would just blow up in his face. 

 

But when he turned back around, toy in hand, Loki had draped himself over the bed, his back exposed to the air, and his eyes watching Tony's every movement.

 

“Good, thank you,” Tony praised as he perched on the bed next to him, running his fingers through Loki's hair and down his back. “I love you.”

 

It took several minutes of softly massaging at Loki's arms and shoulders before he finally started to relax, stretching his arms out in front of him. 

 

He swept Loki's hair to the side so that he could press kisses to his shoulder and neck before gently sucking a mark into the tattoo along the side of his neck. Loki let out a sigh and melted under him. 

 

Tony worked down Loki's back kissing and nuzzling against the scars he passed. When he lightly kissed the top symbol in the line of markings that made up Odin's curse, Loki cried out and jerked away.

 

“Jesus. Did that  _ hurt _ ?” He asked, startled at Loki's strong reaction. The god nodded sharply, small whimpers escaping him. “Fuck, I'm so sorry. I had no idea.”

 

Loki shook his head. “It's ok. Don't… Just don't do it again.”

 

He wanted to ask who the fuck would do something like that again. But obviously someone had. Someone had hurt Loki in ways that made him unable to trust that  _ of course _ Tony wouldn't repeat an action that had earned such a negative response.

 

“I won't,” he promised instead. He moved his attentions away from Loki's spine, and towards his hip.

 

“Is that a compass rose?” Tony asked, tracing the outline of the marking on Loki's side.

 

“A windrose, yes,” Loki confirmed. 

 

Eight lines spread out from the center, reminding Tony firmly of sunbeams. “Is this one a beseechment too?”

 

“Not exactly.”

 

Tony hummed at the non-answer. The next time he ducked his head down his teeth grazed the sensitive skin of Loki's side. 

 

He heard Loki's breath catch, so he did it again before reaching up and dragging his nails along the other side of Loki's back. 

 

It wasn't long before Loki had – well, relaxed wasn't quite the right word. But it was definitely the good kind of tense, which Tony counted as a win.

 

He huffed a laugh when Loki all but tossed the buttplug back towards him. “Excuse you,” he teased, landing a sharp smack on Loki's ass. He'd really just intended it as a minor scolding, but the pleased noise Loki made had him rethinking that. 

 

“Well,” Tony started, channeling every overconfident speech he could ever remember giving, “you  _ obviously _ want this toy inside of you.”

 

“Yes,” Loki agreed easily.

 

“I want you to earn it.”

 

Maybe this wasn't the best time to test his theory, he realized slightly belatedly. But he refused to let that anxiety show on his face when Loki glanced back at him.

 

“How?”

 

“I'm going to spank you. Ten swats, not counting the one from a second ago. And you're going to be still and silent for it.  _ Then _ we can have fun with the plug.”

 

The few seconds that passed while Loki considered his words seemed to drag on forever. He did his best to quiet the voice in the back of his mind that told him he'd definitely fucked this up and misjudged what Loki would want from this.

 

But then Loki nodded and settled back down, closing his eyes and  _ actually _ relaxing.

 

_ Fuck yeah! _ Tony loved being right.  _ (Thank God he was right.) _

 

“Color?”

 

He caught the flicker of annoyance on Loki's face before he answered, “Green.”

 

Tony shifted to Loki's side so that he could properly aim all ten smacks right at the center of his ass. Aside from a sharper breath than normal as he started, the god didn't react. Which was more distressing than he'd expected it to be. But as soon as the 10th hit landed he could see a small smile on Loki's face and the anxiety in his chest uncurled. 

 

Tony had had this theory for a while: that on the rare occasion that Loki felt inclined to be on the “s” side of their D/s relationship, what he really wanted was to be given chances to succeed. 

 

It was definitely something he should bring up properly. Soon. 

 

“Good job,” he said, laying a kiss against the pinkened skin. “I'm so proud of you.” 

 

Instead of rolling his eyes or snarking like Loki usually would, Tony received a content hum for his comments.

 

He quickly crawled up the bed to retrieve the lube and slicked up the black toy before settling back between Loki's legs. 

 

Tony had balked when Loki first suggested the idea of an inflatable buttplug. First because he'd been pretty sure that Loki had just been making shit up, and then, upon finding out that wasn't the case, because there was no way that could be pleasant. 

 

Unsurprisingly, once Tony sat down and read up on them, he bought one anyway. As soon as it had arrived he'd ran a handful of tests on the materials. Good reviews or no, he wasn't inclined to simply  _ trust _ that it wouldn't pop or something and injure him. 

 

In its deflated form, the toy had less give than other buttplugs, and Tony took his time easing it into his god, until his hole clenched down around it. Even like this the plug wasn't particularly  _ small. _

 

“Feel good?” 

 

“Mmhmm,” Loki confirmed. 

 

At the first pump of the bulb Loki gasped and shifted at what must have been a strange sensation. Tony placed a hand on Loki's hip to help ground him. 

 

He pumped twice more in quick succession, making Loki grunt and squirm as he tried to adjust. Tony just watched as Loki eventually accepted that he couldn't move either closer or further from the stimulation.

 

“Talk to me, My Prince. Tell me how it feels.”

 

Loki let out a soft moan at the title. “Strange. Full.”

 

“Full? Already?” Tony teased. “Are you uncomfortable?”

 

“Y–. N–.” He let out a slow breath. “Yes. But not…”

 

“But in a good way?” Tony provided.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Two more pumps had Loki clawing fruitlessly at the sheets and whining. He spread his legs, seeking relief from the pressure as the toy stretched inside him. 

 

When Tony's fingers lightly traced over a tattoo the wound its way down Loki's leg, the god jerked under him, whimpering.

 

“Tony,  _ please _ .”

 

“Please what, dear?”

 

“Can't.”

 

“No?” Tony asked carefully, trying to judge how much, if any, distress Loki was actually in. “C'mon now, Loki. This toy was designed for  _ humans _ . Surely you can handle at least this much.” 

 

Loki's offended growl made Tony's cock twitch where it was trapped in his jeans.

 

“We're at 5 pumps right now,” he continued. “I'm confident you can manage at least 8.” His hand returned to Loki's side.

 

“8?” Loki echoed.

 

“We'll do it at your pace. You just count off whenever you're ready.”

 

It took a few moments before Loki was able to fall  _ mostly  _ still. He was still panting with the occasional whimper when he said, “Six.”

 

Loki shuttered when Tony answered by inflating the toy further. “Wonderful,” he praised easily. “By now it should be pressing against your prostate, and the reviews made that sound fucking wonderful. Is it?”

 

The god nodded, shifting his hips so that he could rut against the bed.

 

“Stop that,” Tony scolded, and he dug his nails into Loki's side. He hadn't actually told him he  _ couldn't _ try to pleasure himself, and it was his own fault for missing that detail. 

 

Loki swore and it seemed to take a great deal of effort to keep himself still. Tony appreciated how hard he was trying to be good.

 

“Seven.”

 

Tony froze when Loki cried out, writhing more fervently, while also trying to avoid giving his cock the friction he was so obviously craving.

 

“You're doing so well,” Tony assured him, using his thumb to rub circles along the tattoo on Loki's hip. “You're almost done.”

 

His stomach clenched at the soft broken sob that escaped his partner. He was ready to switch the release valve when Loki spoke again.

 

“Green. Eight.”

 

_ Good kind of crying, good kind of crying _ , Tony chanted to himself as he gave the toy a final pump. Loki shook under him, and he could hear his shaky breathing as he let himself cry. 

 

“You're incredible,” Tony murmured against his back. “Think you can roll onto your back?”

 

Loki shook his head.

 

Tony hummed, then reached between Loki's legs where he'd had to lift himself up to keep from fucking their bedding. The angle was awkward but worth it as Loki keened as he swiped his hand over the head of his cock to collect some precum before starting to slowly stroke his weeping cock.

 

“You know the best thing about this toy?” He asked, not expecting any sort of coherent answer. “Well, two great things. One, it can easily get to at least  _ twice _ this size.”

 

Loki made a strained noise at that news.

 

“But even better? It can vibrate.” He demonstrated by pressing the button on the base of the toy. Loki bit into a pillow and screamed as the stimulation tore his orgasm from him.

 

Tony deflated the toy and gently pulled it free from Loki's body as he curled up, panting and gasping from the force of his orgasm. 

 

Loki clung to him as soon as Tony crawled up the bed and laid down beside him. Tony pushed sweat slicked hair out of Loki's face and kissed his temple. He whispered praise and affection as Loki's crying slowly subsided. 

 

“Was that… Did that help?” Tony asked tentatively once Loki's breathing evened out.

 

Loki shifted, nuzzling against his neck. “Yeah. Thank you.”

 

“Happy to help.”

 

“Mmm. What about you?” Loki asked, his hand moving down to cup Tony's groin. 

 

Tony's hips jerked up against his hand. “I. I was more concerned with taking care of you.”

 

“Consider me taken care of,” Loki smirked against him as he deftly freed Tony's erection. 

 

Their kisses were hot and needy as Loki jerked him off. He swallowed down Tony's gasps and moans possessively. 

 

“I love you,” Loki murmured, stroking Tony through his orgasm. “And,” he continued while Tony laid there, panting, “you should definitely keep referring to me as your prince.”

 

Tony snorted. “Yeah?”

 

“Regularly.”

 

“Didn't you rescind your claim to the throne?”

 

“Inconsequential,” Loki waved the comment off. “I'm still a prince.” The next kiss was soft and tender. “And, obviously, I'm yours.”

 

* * *

 

_ “Master Stark!” Jarvis shoved in front of him, slamming the car door shut, making the handle tear free from Tony's hand. _

 

_ “Get out of my way, Jarvis.” Tony growled. “You can't keep treating me like a child.” _

 

_ “So long as you keep acting like one, I can and I shall.” Jarvis positioned himself between Tony and the car door. _

 

_ “Oh, bite me.” _

 

_ “I won't allow you to go galavanting around playing like you're invincible. What would your father think?” _

 

_ “Fuck what Howard would think!” _

 

For several confused seconds after Tony woke up he was 16 again and could still feel the sting of the slap across his face that his behavior had earned him.

 

He couldn't remember what they had been arguing about, though, or whatever he had done – or not done.

 

He also hadn't realized how long it had been since a nightmare had driven him to his lab at 3am until it happened again.

 

The nightmare itself had already largely faded from his mind, but the tense keyed up feeling wouldn't fade with it. 

 

This morning's project – did it count as morning yet? – involved checking up on a fundraising event he'd agreed to attend. On Christmas. Because he'd agreed that that sounded like a good use of the day. Which, really, it wasn't like he actually  _ celebrated _ Christmas as a general rule. Pepper had always wanted to visit family, but the last of Tony's family had died several years ago.

 

He smiled to himself, remembering that he'd been up to last Christmas. Which is to say, he'd semi-unintentionally found himself pseudo-worshiping Loki. Who had not quite jokingly referred to himself as the devil. 

 

His music quieted down and he glanced towards to elevator to find a bemused looking Bucky. “What are you giggling about down here?” He asked, hopping up on the desk next to the screen Tony was looking at.

 

“I wasn't giggling,” he frowned. “And what are you doing up so early?”

 

“Same as you, probably. Nightmares. Was gonna go for a run, but JARVIS said you were awake, so I thought I'd check on you first.”

 

“I'm alright.”

 

“Yeah, I caught that when you were down here grinnin’ like a schoolgirl.” Tony rolled his eyes at the comparison. “What are you thinking about?” Bucky eyed the screen. “No one should be making that face when reading about childhood leukemia.”

 

“Oh fuck off!” He shoved at Bucky's shoulder, doing nothing to dislodge him from the desk. “Was thinking about what I was doing this time last year.”

 

“Which was?”

 

“Uh, becoming a heathen, I think.”

 

Bucky snorted. “Sounds about right. Speaking of. Hey, JARVIS, is Loki up yet?”

 

Several moments passed before JARVIS replied. “He is. He also says that you're welcome to come up for breakfast, if you'd like.”

 

“Great!” Bucky jumped down from the desk, and gave Tony a quick half-hug. “Go eat and I'll come harass you two after my run.”

 

“Harass us about what?” Tony called after Bucky as he entered the elevator.

 

“Somethin’ fun!”

 

* * *

 

Really, it was Tony's own fault for assuming that he would  _ actually _ head upstairs, “As soon as I'm done with this.”

 

Instead 15 minutes stretched into close to 4 hours until his stomach painfully reminded him that he needed to eat.

 

He returned to his own apartment to find Bucky and Loki speaking on the couch. Or rather, they had been speaking. And given the way they looked at him silently as he walked in, he was fairly confident they were discussing him.

 

“Oh don't mind me. Just walking into my own home. That's all.”

 

“Yeah, at 7:30. What the fuck happened?” Bucky asked.

 

Tony just shrugged. They all knew exactly what had happened. He'd gotten distracted and “one more thing” had turned into five or six. That was hardly anything new or surprising. “What are you two getting all chummy about this morning?” He asked instead.

 

“Clint and I were talking and he's thinking of doing a bonfire thing on his land in a few days. You two are invited.” Bucky explained.

 

He stopped and turned away from the coffee machine. “Both of us?” He asked incredulously.

 

“That's what he said. He's even cool with Sigyn and the mini-gods coming if they want to.”

 

“Clint Barton? Our Clint? Hawkeye?”

 

“How many Clints do you know?”

 

“Several. Shut up. Clint is  _ inviting _ Loki to his home? Where he lives? With his wife and children?”

 

“No,” Bucky corrected. “It's  _ miles _ from his house.” He glanced over at Loki. “I'd call it a good-will gesture.”

 

“Hell of a gesture,” Loki said.

 

“I think he wants to meet your kids.”

 

Tony couldn't see Loki's face from where he was standing, but he guessed they were wearing similarly startled expressions.

 

“My children?”

 

“That… Almost makes sense,” Tony said slowly, retrieved a mug of coffee and joining them in the living room. “I mean, he buddied up to Wade after meeting Ellie. Which. Still weird to me.”

 

“Anyone having children is weird to you,” Bucky pointed out. “Which is fucking stupid because you love kids.”

 

Tony scoffed and settled in a chair. “Sure, when I can spoil them and then hand them back,” he insisted. 

 

Loki and Bucky both fixed him with disbelieving looks, but there was something else in Loki's expression that made Tony want to just stare down into his coffee, so he did. 

 

“Whatever,” he muttered. “D’you wanna go to this “bonfire thing”, Loki?”

 

“I find the idea agreeable, if you would like to attend.”

 

He rolled his eyes at the way Loki passed the ball entirely back into his court. He supposed he wouldn't mind going. “Who all is going to be there?”

 

“So far, Steve, Clint and I. Natalia is thinking about it, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Not sure past that. Steve mentioned asking Peter if he wanted to come.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah, why not? It could be a nice little Avengers team building exercise or some such shit.”

 

Tony snorted. “All I heard was Steve at the start, there. Besides, neither of you are Avengers.”

 

“Fuck you, too. Fine. Avengers and their plus ones, if you want to be fucking pedantic about it.”

 

“Alright. I'll text Clint about it later. For now… Hard maybe.”

 

“Hard maybe,” Bucky repeated, sounding annoyed as he stood up. “Christ. The fuck kind of an answer is that?” He turned to face Loki. “Thanks for breakfast. At least  _ someone _ was around to appreciate it. Also, be sure to tell me how it goes.”

 

Loki smiled, “I will.”

 

“How what goes?” Tony asked as Bucky flashed him a quick grin on his way out.

 

“Did you think we were just talking about the bonfire for the last several hours?”

 

“Honestly? I never know with you. You might have been.”

 

The god's expression turned from teasing to serious. “Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah?” He offered, finally taking a drink of his coffee. “Why wouldn't I be?”

 

“Because you've been awake since before I got up. And that typically only happens when you've had an especially bad nightmare.”

 

“Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I don't even remember what I was dreaming about now. So, it couldn't have been too bad, right?”

 

Loki looked unconvinced. “You should eat breakfast.”

 

“I'm planning to,” Tony assured him. 

 

Even when Tony caved and sat down at the table with a plate of eggs and toast, Loki still looked a bit off balance.

 

“What's on your mind?”

 

“Clint.”

 

Tony hummed. “I don't think it's a trap or anything.”

 

“No, I don't think so, either. But, I also don't understand his motivation.”

 

He poked at his eggs. “Clint and I used to get along really well. He was the first one of us that I made any weapons for. And he let me develop some hearing aids for him. I knew it was a hell of an ask to be my guinea pig, but he didn't even mind. I was watching Cooper and Lila grow up. I saw Nathaniel right after he was born.”

 

“What happened?”

 

Tony stared determinedly down at his food. “You did.” He held his hand up, stalling whatever reply Loki might have had. “Not blaming you. But that's what happened. It's on me. I'm–.” He chewed on his lip. “I obsess. Get addicted. And,  _ not important stuff _ ,” he made air quotes and looked back up at Loki. “It gets shoved to the side.”

 

He dug a hand through his hair. “Not that I've ever been great at the whole friend thing anyway. Hell, I never actually took the time to check up on Ty like I said I would. I haven't talked to Bruce in weeks. Which, that's not actually entirely my fault, he's not answering my phone calls. Or texts. Or emails.”

 

“Tony.”

 

“What?”

 

“You're spiraling.”

 

“Sorry.” He pushed out a long breath. “I need to be better at it. At remembering that people give a shit about me. And at actually expressing that I tend to give a shit about them, too.”

 

Loki looked thoughtful. “Do you think that's why Clint extended the invite to include me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Because he “gives a shit” about you. And you care about me.” 

 

Tony considered the possibility. “He hates you.”

 

“And yet,” Loki said with a shrug.

 

He pulled his phone out.

 

> Are you sure you're ok with Loki coming?

 

>> As long as he stays at the campsite, I don't have a problem with it.

 

Clint's reply was almost instant.

 

> And his kids?

 

>> Bucky said that they're going a bit stir crazy. Sometimes children just need a big open area to run around in. 🏃🏃♀️💨

 

>> How is a wolf that size even fitting inside the tower anyway? 🤔🐺

 

Tony laughed and showed Loki the text before replying.

 

> He can shapeshift. Usually he's just a big wolf. Rather than a giant one.

 

He paused, looking back up at Loki. “Do you actually  _ want _ to go, or are you just willing to?”

 

“I think… I think I'd like to go, actually. I would like to speak with Clint.”

 

> Loki and I will come.

 

>> 😎👍

 

>> Bucky told me about your “hard maybe” bullshit. This isn't Facebook, asshole. 😤💩

 

> 🙃😘🖕🧐

 

* * *

 

After giving Tony shit for “using emojis wrong” – which was ridiculous, how could you use them wrong? (And worse yet, Loki had agreed with Clint!) – Clint created a group chat to attempt to coordinate everyone.

 

Tony noted that both Thor and Bruce had been invited to the chat, but neither had seemed to accept the invitation.

 

>> Natasha: This is sounding like a big gathering. I may pop in, but I'm not camping out.

 

>> Steve: I've done enough sleeping on the ground for my lifetime, thanks.

 

> Tony: For two lifetimes, even.

 

>> Clint: @Tony, STFU.

 

> Tony: No. :)

 

“Are you having fun?” Loki asked when he looked up from his book at Tony's laughter.

 

“Yeah. It's like halfway turning into a camping thing, but no one actually wants to camp.”

 

“That's a shame. I like camping.”

 

Tony blinked. “You do?”

 

“Why is that surprising?”

 

“Because,” he started as he pondered the answer. “I still have a bunch of preconceived notions about royalty?”

 

Loki smirked. “I'll break you of those yet.”

 

“It's not like all of them have been wrong, though,” Tony mused.

 

“Oh? You were surprised to learn that I could hunt, cook, and generally fend for myself. Tell me, when have you been correct?”

 

“You like it when I'm all subservient to you.”

 

“I suppose I do. On occasion. In certain circumstances.” Loki set his book down and scooted closer to him. 

 

“And,” Tony continued, “you like when I call you things that reflect your standing.  _ Your Highness. My Prince.” _

 

Loki looked briefly embarrassed, but he covered it quickly. “I don't  _ hate _ you doing that.”

 

Tony leaned over, kissing a trail along Loki's jaw. “You like it when I kneel for you.”

 

“You look good on your knees.”

 

He smiled, tucking his face against Loki's neck. “That's not the same thing and you know it.” Loki shifted his head, giving Tony room to nip and suck at the exposed skin. “Plus, you enjoy ordering me around.”

 

“Only,” he gasped. “Only because you so rarely do what I–. Fuck. Please. Harder.”

 

Tony bit down. Not hard enough to draw blood, but Loki tried to jerk away even as he moaned. 

 

“Right,” Tony said as he pulled back, trying to keep his voice even. “But you like it when I  _ do  _ play the part.”

 

He picked his phone back up from the table. “I should probably get back to–”

 

“Tony,” Loki's fingers circled his wrist. “I want–.” He stopped, looking uncertain.

 

“Yes?” He hoped his expression was closer to “patiently interested” than “please just fuck me now”. Both seemed likely.

 

“I want to try something. With our new buttplug.”

 

Tony waited for him to continue, but Loki seemed to be expecting a response from him. “Sure? I mean, we're both really creative people, but there are still only so many things you can do with a buttplug–.” He cut himself off at Loki's exasperated expression.

 

“Would you be comfortable doing something new, even if I don't give you the full details of my plans?”

 

He had a pretty good idea what sorts of things Loki and Bucky had discussed now, if not the specifics. “I've never complained before,” he said easily.

 

But Loki just frowned at him for being so dismissive. “Yes,” he tried again. “I would be comfortable with that.” He didn't add that half the time Tony might have balked at the new and exciting things Loki did to him, if he'd tried to explain it first. “You want to at least tell me who the plug is going into?”

 

“You.”

 

“Yeah, thought so.” Tony grinned. “So, like, now?”

 

“If you don't need to return to the conversation,” Loki glanced down at Tony's phone.

 

“Nope. Fuck 'em.” He stood eagerly, dropping his phone onto the couch. He could deal with that later. 

 

Loki stood with him and took Tony's face in his hands, holding him still as they kissed. Tony tried to deepen the kiss, but Loki tugged sharply at his hair until he backed off and just gave up control.

 

“Good boy. Bedroom.”

 

Tony smirked. “Shall I crawl, or is walking fine?”

 

“Whichever you prefer.”

 

Turning towards the bedroom, Tony snorted. As if he'd ever  _ prefer _ crawling. He huffed as his clothing disappeared. He hadn't even made it to the bedroom yet.

 

“So?” He turned back towards Loki once he was standing beside their bed. “How do you want me?”

 

“Sit in the middle of the bed.”

 

Tony smiled. That actually sounded like a proper order. He sat up and watched Loki move around the room. He was still fully dressed which wasn't entirely unexpected.

 

What was unexpected was what he did after retrieving the plug and lube and dropping them on the bed next to Tony. He turned Tony's office chair around and sat down, one leg draped over the other, and just  _ looked _ at him.

 

It made Tony shift uncomfortably. It wasn't that Loki was always  _ hands on _ , but even when he had Tony pleasuring himself, he was usually on the bed with him. Or at least right next to it. Like this, Loki was on the other side of the room. 

 

“What, uh. What's happening?”

 

“What's happening is that you're going to do as I say. And I'm going to watch.”

 

“From all the way over there?”

 

“That's the plan.”

 

Tony swallowed and bit his lip. He had indirectly told Loki that he was fine with being ordered around a bit, of course, but this wasn't what he'd had in mind. Loki felt too detached, too… disinterested. 

 

But Loki had to know that, right? And while making Tony uncomfortable was always plenty of fun, surely Loki wouldn't do anything that he actually hated, right?

 

Plus, if it got to be too much, he could just say so. With that knowledge bolstering his resolve, Tony nodded.

 

“What would you like me to do?”

 

“I should think the first part would be obvious,” Loki gestured vaguely to the plug and lube.

 

“I needed to be sure, though, didn't I?” Tony asked as he slicked up the toy. “It would be unacceptable, after all, for me to just  _ assume _ I knew all of my prince's desires.”

 

Loki was just staring as Tony rearranged the pillows: both for his own comfort, but also so that he could be sure that Loki would have a good view of his ass as he pressed the tip of the plug against his hole. 

 

“Are you certain you wouldn't prefer to assist, your Majesty?”

 

“Ah. No, I will simply observe, for the moment.”

 

_ For the moment _ . Tony caught Loki's eyes and grinned as he worked the toy inside himself. The rubber was hard and uncomfortable. He belatedly realized that his earlier anxiety had caused his arousal to wane enough that it was hard to really  _ enjoy _ this part.

 

But watching Loki's face as he shifted and pressed until the toy sank into him, his ass clenching around the base? That part  _ always _ wonderful. 

 

The god had been trying to look only casually amused, but the facade had dropped completely. His eyes were wide and he now looked very, very interested. 

 

“What would you have me do next, Sire?” Tony was having no small amount of fun throwing out different names, just to see how Loki responded to them. Thus far he'd seemed to enjoy them all, and no clear favorite was obvious yet. 

 

“I want you to inflate the toy inside you. Five times.” He paused before added, “Properly.”

 

_ Properly _ probably meant that Tony wasn't supposed to half-ass any of the pumps, but that isn't what gave him pause. “Five?” He asked. He remembered from his own experiments just what five  _ proper _ pumps would do to the toy. Nevermind the fact that five had been enough to make Loki whine and struggle. 

 

“Are you going to make me repeat myself?” Loki was  _ trying _ to sound stern and reproachful. He wasn't exactly pulling it off, though. “You may take as much or as little time as you need, but you aren't leaving until you've done what I've said.”

 

Tony licked his lips. “Please, may I–?” He paused, casting for a less vulgar way to phrase his request. “May I touch myself, first? I'm not. Um.”  _ I'm not horny enough for this _ .

 

Loki seemed to understand. “Very well. But you may not come.”

 

_ Duh. _ “No, of course not.” Tony spread his legs further and wrapped his hand around his dick, stroking himself back to full hardness. Between the toy inside him and Loki's eyes following his movement, he felt his pleasure building faster than he'd expected. He dropped his dick as soon as he realized, digging his hand into the bedding instead.

 

“Are you quite alright, my pet?”

 

Tony nodded. “Yep. Fuck. Yes, sir.” Loki looked amused at his slip. 

 

He reached down and followed the tube from the base of the plug to the ball pump, and grasped it firmly. 

 

_ One. Loki _ fucking giggled at his expression after the first pump. He bit back several choice words and focused on relaxing. The damned thing felt weird. He could feel that it had grown longer and thicker, but despite  _ knowing _ how it worked, it was still startling that it didn't stretch his hole as well. 

 

_ Two. _ He groaned and tilted his hips, seeking  _ more _ . This had gone from weird to good rapidly. 

 

_ Three. _ He shouldn't have given Loki shit.  _ Full _ was absolutely the right word for what he was feeling. He found himself panting and shifting. He  _ knew _ what was happening, but his body refused to come to terms with it.

 

He was also very aware that a fourth pump was going to be uncomfortable. And a fifth? Maybe he should try to do them together? Back to back, and just deal with the consequences. Right. Yes. That was a good plan.

 

Tony managed the fourth, but the fifth squeeze was barely even a half-pump, as he felt something in this abdomen cramp. He cried out and dropped the pump, his hands moving to press against the cramp instead. “Fuck,” he whined.

 

“You're ok.” Loki was on the bed with him, pulling him to his side. “What happened?”

 

“Um.” He struggled to explain. “Moved weird. Cramp.”

 

Loki huffed. “A cramp?”

 

“Shut up. Hurts.”

 

“I'm sorry, Love, I'm sure it does. We'll try this again another time.”

 

Tony shook his head.

 

“Why not?”

 

“You said I wasn't leaving until–”

 

“Don't be difficult,” Loki scolded. “I know that I said, but you getting hurt overrides that.”

 

“I'm not hurt.”

 

Loki pressed against his side, and Tony whimpered. “Fine. I'm hurting. But that's not the same thing.”

 

“Really?” Loki sighed. “This is the hill you want to die on?”

 

“I'll be fine in a minute,” Tony insisted. “I'm not–…”

 

“Not what?” Loki asked softly.

 

Tony squeezed his eyes closed and burrowed his face against Loki's shirt. “Nothing. Forget it.”

 

“You're not a failure.” Why was Loki so good at that? Tony prided himself on being able to come off as at least somewhat enigmatic. Instead Loki was unfairly good at getting right to his insecurities. “But fine. Yellow. I'm calling a timeout.”

 

He pouted as Loki picked up the pump and switched the release valve. But the drop in pressure was an immediate relief. “Thank you,” he grumbled as Loki pulled the toy free.

 

“Yeah, you sound grateful,” Loki teased. “Sit up properly.” Tony whined even as he let Loki help prop him up. He managed a grateful sound when Loki pressed a glass of water into his hand. “When was the last time you drank something besides coffee?”

 

“Last night?” He offered.

 

“Water or alcohol?”

 

“Both.”

 

Loki hummed as Tony finished drinking the water. “Stretch out for me.”

 

Tony was perfectly happy pressed up against Loki but did as he was asked all the same. This time when Loki's hand settled on his abdomen it was pleasantly warm. “Handy.”

 

There was a brief pause before Loki laughed. 

 

He grinned up at him. “That really does feel better, thank you.” 

 

They stayed quietly like that for a while.

 

“Can we try again now?” Tony asked, once he was confident moving wasn't going to make anything hurt.

 

“We don't have to.”

 

“I already told you that I want to,” he insisted. “But… will you stay in bed with me?”

 

“Will you give me the pleasure of putting the plug back inside you?”

 

Tony pushed himself back up the bed, propping himself up. “Yes. Can I keep control of the pump?”

 

Loki's eyes lit up. “I did say that I wanted to see  _ you _ inflate the plug, yes?”

 

“So, how old were you when you figured out that lube spell?” Tony asked as Loki used said spell rather than bothering with the bottle less than a foot away from them.

 

“Young, and not for the reasons you're implying,” Loki replied as he sank the plug back inside his mate.

 

Tony took several deep breaths as he readjusted. “Yeah? What for then?”

 

“I was fucking around in forges long before I figured out what my cock was for,” Loki informed him as he pressed the pump back into his hand.

 

Tony squeezed the pump three times, only allowing himself a few moments between each. Afterwards he let his eyes slide closed and his head fall back.

 

Loki only chuckled. “Someone was eager.”

 

“Mmhmm,” he agreed, shifting to get more comfortable. “This feeling, right here? Incredible.”

 

“Is it?” 

 

“Much better now that you're here beside me, though.”

 

“Not a fan of me just telling you what to do?”

 

“No. Well. That part was fine,” he explained, happy to drag this moment out. “I didn't like you being so far away. It felt too… I don't know. I didn't like it.”

 

“I'll keep that in mind,” Loki promised, pressing against his stomach. “Are you just going to stay like this, or are you going to do what I told you to do?”

 

Tony frowned. Even if it didn't hurt, he knew inflating the toy further would take away this perfect level of pressure and fullness. It was going to be uncomfortable. And forcing discomfort on himself was something he was very adept at avoiding. “Thought I could take as much time as I wanted?”

 

“Needed,” Loki corrected. “Now you're just stalling.”

 

Tony huffed.

 

“You do need to relax, though. Unless you do need to stop here today?”

 

“Don't fucking give me an out,” Tony complained, even as he tried to focus on relaxing. He turned his face until it was again pressed against Loki's shirt. He concentrated on the smell and feel of  _ Loki _ as he squeezed the pump a fourth time.

 

A small whine escaped him and he found it incredibly hard to hold still. It wasn't as bad as he'd expected - it certainly didn't hurt - but it was definitely past a comfortable level of  _ full _ . 

 

“Don't get too worked up, Pet,” Loki purred. “You're not done yet.”

 

Tony tried to glare. 

 

“Just keep in mind that what you're feeling right now? Any pleasure, any discomfort. You're feeling it for me. Because I told you to.” Tony groaned and panted. “Good,” Loki continued as Tony relaxed, “one more and I'll let you come.”

 

The fifth was much easier than the fourth, Tony realized distantly. He was fairly sure that if Loki asked him for any more that day he might die, but even that could be alright. The plug was pressing against his prostate in a way that teetered on the edge of too much.

 

“Don't,” he choked out.

 

“Hmm? Don't what?” Loki sounded cautious.

 

“Don't turn it on.” 

 

“Turn it… Oh. The vibration?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Why not, Pet?”

 

He shook his head. “Too much.”

 

Loki hummed. “That is rather the point, isn't it?”

 

He shook his head harder. “Please. I can't.”

 

“Hush.” Tony bit his lip and whimpered. “Because you're being so insistent, and because you've been so good today, I won't. This time.” 

 

Instead Loki's hand grasped his dick and started stroking him. Tony moaned openly. At this point all he wanted to do was just let things happen. 

 

It felt like an eternity passed and yet also no time at all before he came. He shivered and clung to Loki as the god deflated the toy and removed it.

 

“Damn it,” Loki muttered.

 

“Hrmm?”

 

“Next time, I want to fuck you with it while it's inflated,” Loki explained. 

 

Tony huffed. “Don't think it's really designed for that.”

 

“Could you make one that was?”

 

He cracked open an eye and looked up. “You want be to build us a sex toy?”

 

“Not up to the challenge?”

 

“The minute I can stand again I'm going to make you regret suggesting that.”

 

Loki laughed, carding his fingers through Tony's hair. “Oh, I doubt that very much. You refuse to have sex in your lab, but I don't think for a second that you wouldn't want to test your designs.”

 

The bastard was right, of course.

 

“You have any other requests?”

 

“I could think of a few, yes.”

 

* * *

 

“243 messages. 243. What the fuck could they possibly be talking about?” Tony griped after he retrieved his phone. He started to scroll up through the conversation, but quickly realized he just didn't care that much. “JARVIS, is there anything there that I need to know about?”

 

“Nothing pressing, Sir,” JARVIS replied. “There were discussions of where exactly the campsite would be placed, and what people would be bringing in the way of food and refreshments.”

 

“What's the point of camping if you're bringing food with you?” Loki asked.

 

“You know it's for one night, right? I mean, you and yours can go off and hunt some deer or whatever the fuck lives out there if you want, but I think the rest of us are planning to just get drunk and make merry.”

 

He caught up with the conversation and found that while Peter had entered the chat, he hadn't actually commented on anything. Well, that was simple enough to fix.

 

> Tony: @Peter Are you coming?

 

>> Bucky: Hey, look who's back!

 

> Tony: Yeah, yeah, I was busy.

 

>> Clint: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

>> Bucky: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

> Tony: Damn it, Clint, you have him doing it too!

 

>> Steve: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

> Tony: Stop that!

 

>> Clint: @Peter Wade can come too.

 

Tony groaned and looked away from the screen.

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“Clint's inviting  _ Wade _ .”

 

Loki looked genuinely confused for a moment before rolling his eyes. “Why wouldn't he?”

 

“ _ Because,  _ Wade's, well. It's Wade.”

 

“And you don't like him?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“You don't like Steve, either, but you aren't complaining about him being there.”

 

“I like Steve!” Loki just looked at him until Tony huffed. “Fine. I don't like Steve, either, but that's different.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Steve's not a killer.”

 

Loki just stared at him for a moment before setting his book down. “Do you hear yourself when you speak?” He finally asked.

 

“What?”

 

“Steve is a soldier. He's killed plenty of people.”

 

“That's–”

 

“Clint, Natasha, and Bucky are all trained assassins. Even if you wanted to argue that casualties during war are  _ different _ , you can't make the same claim for assassination. 

 

“Thor and I have killed hundreds. Ruthlessly and without remorse. Hulk has killed others  _ for sport. _ I left my home in ashes to kill my sister.

 

“You've surrounded yourself with killers and murderers, _Stark._ _You_ are a killer. So, enlighten me. What makes Wade different?”

 

Tony froze, feeling trapped under Loki's gaze. He wanted desperately to look away, but couldn't. He could hear his blood rushing in his ears.

 

“We're weapons,” he finally managed. “All of us. We've been turned into weapons.” He could barely hear himself speak, but he was confident Loki could hear him. “He's the only one who's ok with that.”

 

“Have you ever actually talked to Wade? Like, actually  _ talked _ to him?”

 

He thought for a moment. “I guess not really, no.”

 

“I have. On several occasions. And his history and life are his alone to share or not. But you need to understand that Wade – that Deadpool – doesn't allow himself to be used.

 

“You said that you're both weapons. Turned into something beyond your control. My theory is that while once you realized the situation you turned around and did everything in your power to put a stop to it, you think that Wade just  _ embraced _ it. Or am I wrong?”

 

“You're not wrong,” Tony admitted. 

 

“Then be comfortable in the knowledge that you're wrong.” Loki's expression finally softened. “No one is asking you to  _ like _ Wade. But you have to at least be willing to tolerate him. If not because your hypocrisy is pissing us off, then at least because your behavior is going to keep pushing Peter away.”

 

Loki paused. “Or is  _ that _ your issue with him?”

 

“What? That he's dating Peter? I mean, sure, I'm not a fan of that. But I'm not his father or anything. I'm hardly in a position to make any sort of judgement call here.”

 

“Which has always stopped you before.”

 

Tony made a face at him. “I'll try to work on it,” he acquiesced. “Wade makes Peter happy – for some reason. Plus, if push comes to shove, I'd rather have him on my side.”

 

“Well, good. If I can't appeal to your common decency, at least I can appeal to your pragmatism and self-preservation.”

 

“Fuck you,” he muttered, finally looking back at his phone.

 

>> Peter: Wade and I will be there!

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year~
> 
> This uh. Was supposed to be up before 2019. But it turns out I had social obligations. Then a sinus infection. It was a fun holiday season, lolol.
> 
> But it's here now!
> 
> Finally writing some stuff from Loki's POV. :3

_ I will be brave _ __   
_ I will not let anything take away _ __   
_ What's standing in front of me _ __   
_ Every breath _ _   
_ __ Every hour has come to this

_ —Christina  _ Perri,  _ A Thousand Years _

 

**Loki**

 

_ Dec. 20th, 2019 _

 

“Should we be concerned?” Sigyn asked as she glanced around the common room.

 

“Unlikely,” Loki replied. “Peter and Wade are only a few minutes late. And Peter let Tony know that they were running behind.”

 

Still, she looked uncomfortable. Loki tried to parse out what she might be thinking about. Someone being a little bit late shouldn't have been such a cause for concern.

 

“There you two are!” Tony griped as Peter and Wade stepped free from the elevator. 

 

“Is this everyone?” Peter asked, dropping his bag to the floor. His eyes kept darting curiously between Hel, Fenrir, and Sigyn. 

 

Sigyn made sense, Loki reasoned, as Peter hadn't met her. But Peter had seen Hel and Fenrir in their current altered appearances before. So why were they something worth his curiosity?

 

“Not quite. We're still waiting for the greatest generation to join us.” Tony sounded restless too. Or possibly Loki was projecting. 

 

He watched as Fenrir stepped up to Wade, “All in one piece?”

 

Wade smiled, “Yep!”

 

“Good!” Fenrir chirped as he draped an arm over Wade's shoulders. Loki caught the wild look in his eyes just as his son pulled Wade down into a headlock. “You should thank whatever gods you pray to that it was Váli that reached you first after you shot him,” Fenrir growled.

 

“Fenrir!” He and Sigyn both shouted in unison.

 

Despite his frightened look, Wade said, “All good,” once Fenrir released him. He straightened back up. “I earned that.”

 

“What is wrong with you?” Hel hissed, jabbing her elbow into Fenrir's side.

 

“Please, like you weren't right there, ready to tear him limb from limb when he attacked Váli.”

 

Hel looked apologetically towards Wade, but made no effort to argue Fenrir's claim. In that moment all three of them had instinctually been ready to do  _ anything _ to protect Váli.

 

“Oh!” Loki gestured for Wade and Peter to come closer – and further from Fenrir – “Peter, Wade, this is Sigyn.”

 

“Hello!” Peter smiled, but hadn't turned completely away from Fenrir yet, as though worried he might carry through on his threat to hurt Wade. “We didn't get to meet properly last time.” 

 

Watching Sigyn take their hands in turn, holding them up, muscle memory driving an informal Vanaheim greeting, Loki was struck by how well Peter responded to conflict management. The young man's attention never fully left Fenrir, but his anxiety wasn't apparent. 

 

Neither Peter nor Wade knew what to make of the greeting any more than Tony had. His eyes flicked to his Atrëlv. Tony was quietly watching the interactions, but his phone was in his hand. Messaging Bucky and Steve, maybe?

 

“It's lovely to meet you. You fought very bravely.” 

 

Loki frowned as he felt the calming spell Sigyn wove into her words. It was a habit, he knew, and nothing malicious. But that didn't stop his fingers from twitching in agitation.

 

“And I'm sorry that your were caught up in the crossfire,” the spell wove its way through Wade as well. 

 

He wanted to say something. To snarl. To tear the spell to shreds.  _ How dare she?  _

 

Tony's fingers brushed against his arm, and he glanced over again. Tony couldn't know what had set him on edge, but his mortal could read his frustration. He looked concerned.

 

Before he could think of how to explain, the elevator opened again.

 

“Sorry!” Steve announced, Bucky and Pup right behind him. 

 

“Finally!” Tony snapped. Brown eyes met his again, and Loki gave Tony a quick smile. 

 

Pup was quick to position herself between Fenrir and her humans. Fenrir noticed, and seemed to look at least a little bit guilty. 

 

“So, why are we meeting down here?” Bucky asked. “Wouldn't it make more sense to meet on the roof?”

 

“We're not flying,” Loki explained. “My children and I will be transporting us.”

 

“Oh  _ fuck me _ ,” Wade whined.

 

Peter's eyes lit up at the opening, and had opened his mouth to reply before thinking better of it. “I think it's cool!” He offered instead.

 

Steve looked apprehensive. “So we're teleporting?”

 

Before Loki could start to correct the misconception that humans seemed so deeply entrenched in, Tony was speaking. “It's not teleporting.” Loki settled on a warm smile as Tony attempted to explain how Loki and his children made use of Yggdrasil's branches to travel from one realm to another. 

 

“Ok, this is way over my fucking head,” Bucky complained. “It's gonna be weird but fast, got it.” 

 

Weird for humans, Loki conceded to himself.

 

“Does Clint know he's about to host a handful of aliens?” Wade asked as Loki and Hel lead the group into a rough circle. Everyone needed to be able to touch someone else, and anything they planned on bringing needed to be on someone's person. 

 

“We didn't phrase it quite like that, no,” Loki smirked. “But he's aware that they're coming, yes.” He didn't feel any particular need to explain that Clint had been the one to invite his children.

 

“If anyone is afraid of the dark, I'd recommend closing your eyes,” Hel said softly.

 

It was easy to feel Hel's and Fenrir's magic, even through the conduit of their human friends. 

 

Stepping from Midgard to Yggdrasil was as reflexive as breathing for him. The darkness and the vague shapes were a second home. It was all too easy to get lost here, though. 

 

He focused on the area Tony had described to him. He'd seen the location ilon a map, and they'd even found a few satellite images. Not that they were strictly necessary, but it did make homing in on their intended location easier.

 

They moved from the branches and Midgard formed around them again. 

 

Most of their party seemed largely distressed by their chosen form of transportation. Peter looked stunned and shaken. He'd had his eyes open as they traveled, and the effects from shifting rapidly between the spaces seemed to be too much for his senses.

 

Steve and Bucky were both swearing.

 

“I did say to close your eyes,” Hel said, her kind tone not quite hiding her amusement. 

 

“They  _ were _ fucking closed!” Bucky griped.

 

“Are you well?” Sigyn moved over to check on Peter and Wade. Loki tried to ignore the rushing desire to get between them. Sigyn wasn't a threat, he knew. He ran a hand through his hair. She had only been trying to help, when she calmed the two mortals.

 

“How does that work?” Bucky asked.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“The not-teleportation. How does it work.”

 

“It's magic,” Loki stated. “Some are born with the ability to travel between realms.”

 

“Magic?” Bucky looked incredulous. “The fuck kind of an answer is that?”

 

“I'm sorry, but it  _ is _ magic,” he explained. “It's an innate ability that my children and I possess. I can't offer a more fulfilling explanation than that.”

 

“Is it something you had to learn to do?” Peter had drifted closer. Wade was still clinging to him as they moved.

 

“Not to do, no. It takes practice to do it well, though,” Loki explained easily.

 

Fenrir had also come closer, but he wasn't interested in their conversation. No, he was looking at Pup. Steve had tensed, but Fenrir looked to be doing his best to appear as non-threatening as possible.

 

“Do you just practice by going between places that are farther and farther away from each other?” Bucky asked.

 

“Initially, yes.” Loki did his best to focus both on Bucky's questions, as well as what Fenrir was doing.

 

His son knelt down beside Pup, letting her stay between him and Steve and Bucky. She was an incredibly loyal being, Loki thought.

 

Fenrir began to speak softly, turning all four humans’ attention on him. But he dropped the AllSpeak as easily as Loki did. What Fenrir had to say was between himself and Pup.

 

He was apologizing. For losing his temper, for putting her and her loved ones in danger. For making her feel as though her best option was to risk his wrath to protect her humans.

 

Loki hadn't known that Fenrir was capable of anything so heartfelt, but here he was. 

 

It took a moment, but Pup's tail wagged, and she gave Fenrir's hand a small lick. Something like forgiveness.

 

“Hey!”

 

Loki's attention snapped to the voice. He'd been so engrossed he hadn't realized that others had approached.

 

It was Clint who had called to them, but even though he couldn't see them yet, he could  _ feel _ Bruce and Thor with him.

 

“Oooh, this'll be fun!” Wade finally disentangled himself from Peter and joined the others as they headed up the hill to greet the newcomers.

 

Only Peter held back with Loki and his children. He wanted to stay calm, for Hel and Fenrir, at least, but it was difficult. The last time he'd seen Thor, he'd threatened Váli and Fenrir. The fact that he's sent Sigyn to assist rather than join the fight himself meant little in that moment.

 

It should probably have meant more, he knew.

 

“Hey, Fenrir,” Peter spoke carefully. “What did you say to Pup?”

 

“What?” He heard Fenrir snap, but Loki didn't turn back to look at him. “Oh. Apologized. For scaring her. And for attacking her humans.”

 

Tony was greeting Thor. He didn't look particularly excited to see him, but he was faking it well. Loki bit back a growl as Sigyn hugged Thor.

 

“Did she, uh. Did she forgive you?” Peter asked, still trying to break the tension. 

 

“Something like that, yeah,” 

 

Thor was waving at them. He looked sheepish. Apologetic, perhaps, if Loki was being generous. 

 

Then Tony was waving at them to join the group.

 

“Hel, Fenrir, stay here until I say otherwise,” Loki said, aware of just how stressed he sounded.

 

“But–”

 

“No, Hel,” Loki glanced at them, keeping his voice firm. 

 

Fenrir crossed his arms, looking ready to argue. “Fine.” He spat. “But if he starts anything–”

 

“If my brother starts anything, then by all means, come to my aid.” He hoped Thor wouldn't do or say anything that his children would interpret as a cause to fight.

 

“I'll stay with you guys,’ Peter offered.

 

“We don't need a human welp for protection,” Fenrir growled.

 

Loki only nodded towards Peter before turning to make his way towards Thor.

 

“Brother.” Thor reached out as if to pull him into a hug, but stopped himself midway. 

 

“I wasn't aware you were joining us.”

 

“I thought that if you knew, you wouldn't come,” Thor explained. “I owe you an apology.”

 

_ An apology _ was putting it lightly, Loki thought. He could count the number of times Thor had properly apologized to him on one hand.

 

Rather than voice that, Loki just fixed his brother with an expectant look. “Very well.”

 

Loki was expecting an, “I'm sorry.” Maybe even an “I was wrong,” if Thor was feeling generous. What he wasn't expecting was for Thor to fluidly drop down to one knee, his head bowed.

 

Someone let out an excited squeal–Wade, Loki realized after a moment. Loki just stared. He could feel the tension in the air dissipate as the mortals surrounding them relaxed.

 

“My behavior of late has been reprehensible, Loki. I've been reacting out of misplaced fear and my own prejudices. I've treated you unfairly, and to imply that your children are dangerous–”

 

“Thor, stand up.” Loki had often wished for something akin to this. But instead of feeling vindicated or proud, something else settled in his gut. He reached down and pulled Thor to his feet. “My children  _ are _ dangerous. Just not to Midgard.”

 

The veracity of that statement was debatable, but Loki was confident that it at least mostly held true. 

 

But Thor's expression lightened and he pulled Loki into the hug he'd obviously been denying himself. 

 

Loki let out a huff of complaint but returned the hug. “Norns,” he sighed. “You're not forgiven just yet. I'm hardly the only one you need to apologize to.”

 

He looked back in time to see Fenrir's frustrated expression turn to one of delight from something Hel said to him. Hel, meanwhile, looked positively smug.

 

“And stay on your feet,” Loki scolded. “You're the king! Debasing yourself like that,” he muttered, “is just fucking unbecoming.”

 

Thor had the audacity to look sheepish before he started down the hill to speak to Hel and Fenrir.

 

“So,” Tony sounded relieved, even if his expression was one of disbelief. “All is forgiven? Just like that?”

 

“No, of course not,” Loki replied. “But it was a good first step.”

 

“Holy shit!” Clint yelped, and a few others mirrored his shock and distress as Fenrir's form shifted rapidly until a giant wolf stood where something approximating a human had been before. 

 

His brother didn't so much as flinch. Loki was sure that Fenrir could only be disappointed by the lack of reaction he garnered from his intended target. 

 

After Fenrir had so explosively dropped his disguise, Hel was quick to follow suit. For the last weeks Loki couldn't help but feel as though he were seeing Hel properly for the first time. Despite the stories she'd grown up hearing–even having heard them from his own mouth–she'd seemed… Not unfazed, no. She'd been  _ delighted _ to learn about Loki's heritage. It had eased something in the back of his mind.

 

While the acceptance from the mortals had been appreciated, they didn't truly understand what associating with Giants–with a Jötunn  _ meant _ . But Hel and Fenrir did.

 

Loki blinked at the quick hug Thor and Hel shared. But when his brother turned to Fenrir, he only received a warning growl. But the reaction didn't seem to bother Thor, and after a moment they headed up the hill to join everyone else, Peter trying to hold back laughter.

 

“Fenrir has matured a great deal.” Thor said pleasantly.

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yes! He warned me that if I touched him he'd bite me in half. Before he simply would have done it.”

 

Clint had a distressed look on his face. It was the same expression that Loki had seen many wear upon first seeing Fenrir. He was struggling to conceptualize the enormous creature right in front of his eyes. 

 

“You looked smaller on TV,” he eventually managed.

 

Fenrir laughed, which didn't seem to help put Clint at ease at all. 

 

* * *

 

It quickly became clear that very few in their group actually planned on properly camping. Loki had insisted that Tony needn't stay out in the cold for his sake–especially since it wasn't as if the cold was likely to bother Loki anyway–but Tony had only said that since they brought the fucking tent, they were going to use it. 

 

It took longer than Loki would have expected for them to set up two tents and gather enough firewood to last through the night, given how many people were present to assist.

 

“How's the family?” Tony asked Clint quietly while Wade and Steve argued about the best way to go about starting the fire.

 

Loki had offered his assistance, only for Wade to insist that, “Us puny humans have been making fire for thousands of years without your help!”

 

He'd laughed so hard at Wade's claim that he'd been thoroughly unable to even begin to explain  _ why _ it was so funny. Apparently Loki's assistance in gifting humanity with fire was largely forgotten. But for some reason it didn't bother him. 

 

It would have, not very long ago, he knew. But right then it seemed like something barely worth acknowledging.

 

So now Loki sat on Tony's other side, idly listening as Clint talked about his children. The youngest one, Nate, was becoming insistent that he get to meet “Uncle Tony”. “Lila and Cooper miss you, too.”

 

“Yeah, I…” he fought the urge to look over at his human. They had to know he could hear them, but that didn't mean he wanted to intrude on their discussion. “I've been a really shitty friend lately. For a while now.”

 

“For as long as I've known you,” Clint teased.

 

“Fuck off, I'm trying to apologize.”

 

“Yeah, and I appreciate it. But it's not like I've made shit easy for you.” 

 

Tony hummed. “You're right. You've been a pretty big asshole, too. You keep trying to shoot my boyfriend.”

 

“Not in a while.”

 

“Only because you haven't been around.”

 

Clint didn't reply verbally.

 

“Should someone step in before this becomes an actual fight?” Peter had edged away from the increasingly tense disagreement Wade and Steve were having.

 

“What are they even arguing about?” Clint asked, pushing himself to his feet to go play peacekeeper.

 

* * *

 

Loki watched them struggle for nearly 20 minutes before ignoring Wade's complaints and quietly helping the fire along. As far as any of the humans should be able to tell, it was Bucky who got the initial fire started. 

 

“How are you  _ bad _ at starting fires?” Wade snapped. “Wasn't that your only source of heat back then?”

 

“We had electricity in the 30s!” 

 

“This is going well,” Tony mused.

 

“Someone should – oh, nevermind.” Loki had been going to suggest that someone needed to separate them, but Peter and Bruce had beat him to it.

 

“You'd think they were children,” Clint complained. “Except that  _ actual _ children are better behaved.”

 

“What took them so long?” Tony asked. “Not that I'm the best at getting fires started but–,” he stopped. “Loki, did you have anything to do with that?”

 

“You wound me,” Loki replied.

 

“So, did you?”

 

“Not this time, no.” He glanced around. Tony had a point, this did seem like magic. Fenrir and Hel were standing nearby, looking overly pleased with themselves. “But I think I know who did.” 

 

He stood and walked closer to his children. “You two enjoying yourselves?”

 

“Yes,” Fenrir said immediately.

 

“It wasn't  _ impossible _ to light,” Hel explained, sounding just as remorseless. “It was just more challenging.”

 

“More challenging?”

 

“It would have been mean if they couldn't start the fire at all.”

 

“Yeah, their failure wasn't our fault. They're just an embarrassment to their ancestors.”

 

“You nearly started a fight,” Loki chastised.

 

“Again, not our fault,” Fenrir pointed out. “We didn't do anything up encourage them to fight.”

 

Loki sighed. “No more pranks. Tonight.”

 

“Are you going to ask us to apologize?” Hel asked.

 

“Are you even the slightest bit sorry?”

 

“Not really, no.”

 

“Then having you apologize wouldn't mean much. Now, if you  _ choose _ to apologize, on the other hand–”

 

Fenrir snorted. “Faðir, we all know that isn't going to happen.”

 

* * *

 

By the time the sun set the fire was roaring merrily, spreading warmth and safety through the area.  _ Beasts didn't go near fires. _

 

The heat sank into his bones as he stood just outside from the circle of logs that had been dragged over to provide makeshift seating. 

 

Something pleasant buzzed in the back of his mind, but it was difficult to focus on that. 

 

It wasn't  _ beasts  _ that the flames had kept away.

 

_ He was young, only a handful of years old. He and Thor had stayed up late, listening to the scary stories that warriors had brought home. Tales of battles with horrible creatures that were so cold they didn't even bleed when you sliced off a limb. Blue flesh and foot-long fangs and claws that could disembowel a dragon, if only they could get close enough. _

 

_ Of course nightmares had woken him. He'd cried out for his mother. She'd held him and soothed him with her assurances. The fires in the palace would keep them safe, even if the monsters made it past everyone else. They were made of ice, and couldn't be near flames. _

 

But the fires, while comforting in their promise of safety, had often been too warm for Loki. He couldn't stand to be as close to them as everyone else. Not until he'd figured out spells to keep himself cool.

 

So it was no surprise when he realized that Hel was carefully keeping her distance from the blaze. Fenrir had curled up beside her, keeping her company.

 

“Too warm?” He asked as he neared them.

 

“Always,” she muttered bitterly. “How can you stand it?” 

 

He looked down at his own pale skin. “The glamour helps a lot,” he explained. “If you'd like, I could–”

 

“I'm not interested in hiding what I am,” she snapped. But as soon as the words left her, Hel's eye went wide. “That's not. Faðir, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…” she trailed off.

 

“It's alright,” Loki said easily, hiding the sting he'd felt from her words. “I would never suggest that.”

 

“Unless we're around mortals?” Fenrir huffed.

 

Loki frowned. It wasn't that Fenrir was wrong, exactly. “That's a matter of practicality. I know of–I created,” he corrected himself, “several spells that can make the heat more bearable. That's all I wanted to suggest.”

 

“You did?”

 

“I did. No hiding necessary.”

 

Hel relaxed. “Teach me?” She asked softly. She glanced past him, towards the fire. “Not right now, but. Soon?”

 

He looked back himself to see that Tony and Clint were watching them. Tony looked concerned while Clint merely looked curious. 

 

“Soon,” he agreed.

 

“For now can you just… Can you cast the spell for me?”

 

The hug he pulled Hel into was entirely unnecessary for the spell. The slightest touch would have worked just as well. 

 

“Feels weird,” Hel commented after they broke apart. 

 

Fenrir nosed him. “Me too.”

 

“You've never complained about the weather.”

 

“And I'm not now. But I'm curious.”

 

Loki chuckled and ran his hand through the fur on Fenrir's muzzle.

 

“It does feel weird,” Fenrir agreed, his tail thumping against the snow covered ground. 

 

Hel followed cautiously towards the fire. 

 

“Everything ok?” Tony asked once they were close enough.

 

“Everything is fine,” Hel smiled warmly. “Thank you, Faðir.”

 

“You're welcome. I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner.”

 

She shrugged. “I didn't think about it, either.” She looked mesmerized by the fire. “I wasn't expecting the fire to be this large, though.”

 

Clint waited until Hel and Fenrir had settled near Sigyn and Thor before addressing Loki. “Can we talk for a moment?”

 

“We're talking right now.”

 

He could see Clint struggle not to roll his eyes at him. “You know what I mean.”

 

“I do,” Loki agreed. “What do you want to talk about?”

 

“Ten years ago.” He paused. “The shit with the Chitauri.”

 

“Do you know that, without fail, all of you have referred to that incident as “ten years ago” at least once while speaking with me?” Tony and Peter had both complained that Loki's ability to mask his expressions was unsettling, but it was a useful skill that he was unwilling to part with.

 

If Clint was bothered by it, though, it wasn't apparent. Of course given Clint's background, perhaps that shouldn't have surprised him. “The funny thing, it hasn't actually been ten years yet, either. More like 9 and some change.”

 

Loki nearly smiled in amusement.

 

“You know I've been keeping tabs on you, right?”

 

“I assumed someone was.”

 

“Well, we kind of all are, actually,” Clint admitted.

 

“And? What have you found?”

 

“That you're probably not actually a sociopath.”

 

“I have my moments.”

 

Clint laughed at that. “You can't just “have moments” of being a sociopath. Although you're managing a pretty good imitation right now.”

 

“Do you have a point, Clint?”

 

“Yeah. You ever watched any of the footage?”

 

“No. Why would I? I know what happened.”

 

Clint frowned. “Yeah? Did you know your eyes were all fucked up right up until Hulk tossed you around? Pretty much like mine were, in fact. So, I wasn't the only one getting my brains scrambled, was I?”

 

Loki didn't answer. He wasn't sure he could. He didn't  _ talk _ about this. He didn't even think about it if he could avoid it. He hadn't acknowledged it even when speaking to Tony, and he wasn't inclined to start now.

 

“The point is,” Clint continued without waiting for him to formulate a reply, “I have maybe been something of a dick.”

 

That was easier to respond to. “Don't sell yourself short, you've definitely been a dick.” He paused. “But the mind stone didn't control me like it did you. It influenced my actions, but they were still  _ my _ actions. I'm a God, it's not as easy to wrest control from me.”

 

“Good to know I'm not the only dick at this party.”

 

After a moment Loki allowed himself to smile. “We're in good company. What I meant, though, is that… You're owed an apology. You had the skills I needed to attain my ends, and you were convenient. I was wrong to use you to hurt your friends.”

 

Clint nodded and shoved his hands into his coat pockets, looking pensive. “I've got a question.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“Why don't your kids look like you?”

 

Loki was startled enough that he couldn't quite keep the surprise off his face. “What?”

 

“I mean, two of them are wolves, right? And uh. I don't know what Hel is, but she doesn't look a thing like you.”

 

Hel, in fact, looked the most like him, if he were inclined to share something like that. But he wasn't. “Váli isn't usually a wolf,” he said instead.

 

“Ok, but Fenrir is? How does that happen? Did you fuck a wolf?”

 

“Not in this case, no.”

 

It took the other man a second. “What?”

 

“You heard me.”

 

“That's… What?”

 

“Why are you under the impression that all Gods should look like humans?” Loki asked with a grin.

 

“Well, you and Thor do.”

 

“Great sample size, there. Two out of thousands.” At Clint's anxious expression he relented. “Would you like an actual answer?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good. So would everyone else.”

 

“Does that mean you don't know?”

 

“It means I don't know,” he agreed. “Their – Fenrir's and Hel's – mother and I were both  _ generally  _ humanoid. Honestly we were as surprised as anyone.”

 

“Is there any chance  _ she _ fucked a wolf?”

 

“I feel like you're focusing on the wrong thing on purpose.”

 

“I might be.” Clint was teasing him. He wasn't immediately sure how he felt about it. “So it wasn't weird?”

 

“Don't be dull, of course it was weird. But it didn't matter.”

 

“It didn't?”

 

“Of course not. They're my children.”

 

Clint was smiling as he looked over at Fenrir and Hel, both looking about as relaxed as Loki could ever remember seeing them. “Hey, Wade!” He called out suddenly.

 

“What?” Wade yelled back. He could see Peter elbow him, presumably for yelling in his ear.

 

“Do you want to see pictures of my kids?”

 

Wade had leapt to his feet and was rushing over fast enough that Loki couldn't help but laugh. “Fuck yeah, I do!”

 

Clint scoffed when Tony came over as well. “You weren't invited to the dad party.”

 

“You said I'm their uncle. And I haven't seen them in a while.”

 

“And whose fault is that?”

 

“I'm pretty sure we agreed that we were both at fault?”

 

Tony's complaints didn't sway Clint in the slightest. “You can come back when you've had a kid. Or if you decide you want to co-parent with Loki.”

 

He could almost see the way Tony's mind stalled at the suggestion. The urge to tease the man was strong, but he couldn't help but pity how obvious it was that Tony felt there wasn't a correct answer to Clint's challenge.

 

“Don't be mean,” Wade huffed. “But also, go away. You can look later. We're dad-bonding right now.”

 

It looked as though Tony had to bite back what surely would have been some interesting choice words for Wade, and instead settled for just looking indignant before stalking away.

 

“That was surprisingly kind of you,” Loki commented quietly.

 

“Not really,” Wade shrugged. “I know you love him and all, but I can handle about 5 minutes before I just want punch his perfectly styled facial hair until he can't talk anymore.”

 

Loki could appreciate that Wade didn't seem the least bit bothered that he might have offended one of them with his comments. “In my admittedly limited experience, I think most people wind up feeling that way with enough to exposure to Tony.”

 

“Wow,” Clint pulled out his phone and started flipping through images of his children. “You're not going to defend him?”

 

“As soon as he stops giving people a reason to want to punch him, I'll start defending him.”

 

“Oh my God they're so cute!” Wade cooed over the pictures. “Do you have any from when they were babies?”

 

“Of course I do.”

 

Loki honestly wasn't sure if Wade's enthusiastic reactions to the pictures were typical behavior or not, but Clint seemed more than happy to indulge him.

 

“I'm only a little sorry,” Wade said after a while. “I don't have any pictures or anything from when Ellie was super tiny, so I kind of have to live vicariously through you.”

 

“Why– Ah, sorry. That's not really any of my business.” Clint said apologetically.

 

“Nah, it's fine. I didn't know about her until a few years ago, is all. And uh… Some bad shit happened. So, no baby pics for me.”

 

“That sucks, man. I'm sorry.”

 

Wade only shrugged, which seemed to encompass a great deal about how he dealt with things. Try not to ruminate too much on the things he had no control over. It wasn't the worst way to get through life, Loki supposed.

 

“What about you?” Clint was watching him. “Do Asgardians do the whole baby picture thing?”

 

“Not as such, no.” While it wasn't the first time he'd found himself wishing he had something tangible to be able to hold and share with others when it came to his children, the feeling was still new and largely unwelcome. “Asgardians have excellent memories and are incredibly long-lived, so things like paintings or photographs of people were rare.” 

 

“Huh. Sounds kind of short sighted if you ask me,” Wade said.

 

“Yes, well. Hindsight and all.”

 

“So, was Fenrir giant when he was born, too?” Clint asked.

 

Loki chuckled. It was hard not to be entertained by Clint's bewilderment. “Not compared to his current size, no.”

 

Clint huffed. “Was he like puppy sized?”

 

“Bigger than a Midgardian wolf pup,” he explained. “Probably around 12 pounds, or so.”

 

“12? And you said his mother was humanoid, right?”

 

“Yes. I don't envy that experience.”

 

Wade placed a hand over his abdomen in a gesture of sympathy. “What the fuck?” He whispered.

 

“Of course, she didn't have to maintain the form of a horse for a better part of a year before giving birth, so I might actually win that competition.”

 

The two men were silent for several seconds. 

 

“Run that past me again,” Clint finally said.

 

Loki only grinned. It was more fun to leave them guessing, at least for a few minutes.

 

* * *

 

Loki watched with some amusement as Thor offered several of their friends Asgardian mead. Exactly how he'd come to possess it he wouldn't say, so Loki busied himself inventing increasingly outlandish stories that sat right on the edge of believability. 

 

The pleasant buzzing in the back of his head had returned, and it had only gotten stronger as the night went on, slowly progressing through his whole body. Every nerve felt alive and it was as if the joy and contentment flowing from their friends was something tangible, something he could reach out and grasp. Something about it felt familiar, but he couldn't pin down what it was, or when he might have felt it before. 

 

“Hey, you ok?” Tony asked.

 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine.”

 

“Really? You've been super quiet for a while.”

 

Tony had a concerned look on his face. “I feel kind of strange,” he admitted.

 

“What kind of strange?” Concern shifted to actual worry.

 

“Nothing bad,” he clarified. “It's good, actually. I think.”

 

“You're not exactly filling me with confidence, here.”

 

Loki smiled and leaned over to kiss him. “It's like…” he paused, debating how to go about explaining this without further worrying the other man. “Have you ever felt intrinsically connected the world and everyone around you?” He placed his hand over his own chest. “Or as though there's an invisible golden thread binding you to those you care about?”

 

Tony blinked. “If it's invisible how do you know it's golden?”

 

“It feels like it should be golden.”

 

His human made a non-committal sound. He looked as though he were struggling to focus on what he wanted to say first. “Ok,” he said after a moment. “First: how high are you right now? Second, and actually more important: what did you take?”

 

He scowled. “I'm sober.”

 

“You don't  _ sound _ sober,” Tony accused.

 

Loki wanted to argue, but he realized that Tony wasn't actually wrong. His thought processes felt both slowed and sped up, and they seemed to be making connections that he wouldn't normally have expected. But he was also confident that he hadn't ingested anything questionable. He hadn't even taken any of the mead that Thor had offered him.

 

He tried to focus on what he was feeling, and when it had started. He became aware that it felt as though static was building up along his spine, infrequently sparking with no clear pattern or timing. It was only an annoying discomfort at worst.

 

After a moment he shifted, pressing himself against Tony's side. It was hard to stay distressed or worried about what was happening. It was hard to even try focusing on it. It was easier, and much more pleasant, to just accept it, and instead focus on the warmth that radiated from his human, even through Tony's thick coat. 

 

Tony let out a small sigh and draped his arm over Loki's shoulders. 

 

_ Good _ . He was safe and content and even though he wasn't sure what was going on, he knew he wasn't alone.

 

 

**Tony**

 

Whatever was going on with Loki didn't seem to be hurting him, at least. The god was uncharacteristically quiet, and more openly affectionate than he usually was around others. He was also the most relaxed he'd seen him in weeks. They could figure out the specifics of the situation later.

 

“I want to fuck you,” Loki hissed into his ear.

 

Tony smiled, leaning heavily against his mate. “You always want to fuck me,” he whispered back.

 

Loki whined, which earned a chuckle from Tony. “What? Right here?” Tony teased. Loki's grip around his middle tightened and Tony realized that Loki fucking him  _ right there _ was an actual possibility. “No.” He hissed as firmly as he could manage. “We are  _ not _ fucking in front of our friends.”

 

“Why not? You weren't so against the idea a few days ago.” Loki's voice was velvet as he offered the suggestion.

 

He saw Peter choke on his drink and dissolve into a fit of giggles as he spoke to Wade. Tony would have happily pretended forever that Peter's reaction was unrelated except that Wade turned and looked him straight in the eye, only for Peter to grab his shirt and pull him away with a chastising tone.

 

Even if he thought for an instant that either of them were capable of the necessary subtlety, there were  _ far _ too many people with enhanced hearing and other senses present. “You know I wasn't serious when I said that.”

 

But Loki pulled his hand down until it brushed against the hard line of his erection, and between that and the booze, it wasn't as if Tony really disliked the idea. His eyes darted around for somewhere that might offer some semblance of privacy. 

 

“Fine,” he huffed. “Not  _ here _ ,” he reiterated when Loki's fingers twitched towards his pants. “See those trees?” He nodded his head towards the treeline.

 

He felt Loki grin against him. Loki whispered something in what he was coming to recognize as Asgardian. The only thing he caught was Fenrir's name. He chanced a glance towards him and saw Fenrir give them a gleeful nod from where he was sitting next to Bruce and Thor. Tony hadn't noticed his return to his humanoid shape earlier, and assumed it was for the sake of being able to properly sit amongst everyone else 

 

They watched Fenrir go over and start talking to Peter. Loudly proclaiming how impressed he was during their battle, and requesting to spar to see what Peter was really made of.

 

“Did you ask him to create a distraction?” Tony asked as Loki tugged on his shoulders to get him moving.

 

“He's good at it.”

 

“You asked your  _ son _ to create a distraction so that we could sneak off to  _ fuck _ ?”

 

“Obviously you understand the situation, so why do you keep asking questions?”

 

Tony rolled his eyes. The air further from the fire was colder than he had anticipated. They stepped between the trees, but didn't go nearly as far as Tony expected before Loki was pressing him face first into a tree. 

 

“Oof,” Tony grumbled at the rough bark under his gloves. His coat was doing a good job protecting his front, at least. “Don't want to go farther in?” He asked. 

 

“They can't see us,” Loki gave voice to Tony's concern. He could hear joyful shouting. Fenrir's plan must have worked. “And so long as you're quiet, they won't be able to hear us, either.” 

 

“You say that like I'm the only one who's noisy in bed.”

 

Loki hummed, “Yes, because I'm perfectly capable of being silent. And have proven that. You,  _ Hýrr _ ,  haven't.” 

 

Tony closed his eyes as Loki shifted the hood from his coat out of the way and lightly pulled the skin on the back of his neck between his teeth. Tony breathed, focusing on staying quiet. 

 

Which worked until Loki rocked his hips forward, pressing Tony's dick against the tree. His jeans didn't do nearly as much to protect him from the rough bark. He yelped and tried wiggling out of Loki's grasp.

 

“What did I say about being quiet?”

 

“Shut up, that hurt.” He groused. Loki only hummed and did it again. Tony clenched his teeth to keep himself from crying out again. “Ow, stop that. Bad hurt,” he clarified. 

 

“Oh shit, sorry,” Loki placed quick kisses on the bits of exposed skin he could reach.

 

Tony smiled, feeling warm and content despite the biting chill of the air. “Want me to suck you off?” He offered.

 

He could feel Loki pouting against him. “I wouldn't say no,” he said after a moment.

 

“Pretty sure it's too cold for me to handle much else.”

 

Loki huffed a laugh at his claim, moving back just enough so that he could forcibly spin Tony around before pressing him back up against the tree. “I can think of a few other options,” Loki said confidently, reaching down and unfastening Tony's jeans. He met Tony's eyes as he pulled his cock free and into the cold air. 

 

He grunted in discomfort but didn't try to move away, curious to see what Loki was up to. Loki gave his cock several slow firm strokes, thoroughly distracting him from whatever else he was doing. It wasn't often that Loki's hand felt  _ warm  _ and it had Tony tilting his head back against the tree, nearly forgetting the need to be quiet.

 

He failed completely and let out a guttural noise when he felt Loki's dick sliding against his own. He didn't have room to really glance down, but he moaned in appreciation when Loki's hand wrapped around them both.

 

Tony could feel Loki's laughter rather than hear it. “You're doing a terrible job, love,” Loki murmured, his free hand came up and clasped over his mouth. Loki used his grip on his face to force him to turn and look towards the bonfire. “If you keep that up, Fenrir's distraction won't be enough to keep them from wondering where we went,” he warned. “Unless you secretly want our friends to come find us like this?” Tony bit his lip to keep from making any noise when Loki shifted his grip. 

 

“Admittedly, I don't hate the idea of someone finding us, but I'd much prefer it to be with my cock in your ass and make teeth in your throat. I'd prefer us to be doing something that really shows just how  _ mine _ you are.”

 

Loki's possessive growl was quiet but unmistakable. Tony squeezed his eyes closed as he came, biting his lip hard enough that he could taste metal well before Loki was done stroking him through his orgasm. 

 

He was glad he was already pressed up against the tree because Loki didn't release him right away, still chasing his own pleasure, and the oversensitivity made him try to jerk back. 

 

Tony gave Loki his best pleading look, but Loki only smirked. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing. He closed his eyes again and shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. Staying still and silent while Loki stroked his oversensitive cock left him shaking. 

 

When Loki pulled his hand away from his mouth he cracked an eye open. He couldn't handle Loki doing anything to surprise him right then. Loki held his gaze as he licked the stray smear of blood from his palm. Tony must have bitten himself harder than he'd thought. 

 

His tongue darted out to lick his injured lip but Loki was faster, ducking down and sucking Tony's lip between his teeth.

 

Tony had no idea how he didn't scream from one sensation too many. He felt overwhelmed and was pretty sure he felt his eyes watering with unshed tears. 

 

Two rough strokes later Loki was coming, biting down on Tony's lip hard enough that he knew he was bleeding again. 

 

When Loki finally pulled away, he was grinning and practically vibrating. His eyes had an odd glassy quality that Tony couldn't remember seeing before. Loki wasted no time in cleaning them up or tucking their spent dicks back in their pants, but he hesitated for a moment with his finger on Tony's lip.

 

“How badly does that hurt?” Loki asked softly.

 

“Doesn't feel great,” Tony griped half-heartedly. It  _ did _ hurt, but not enough that he would typically have complained about it. For the briefest of moments Loki looked disappointed. “You can leave it, if you want,” Tony offered.

 

Loki's eyes lit up and he was kissing Tony again, using his full body to hold him against the tree. He could feel Loki's cock stirring again and he chuckled. “When we get home,” he said into Loki's mouth, “you should fuck me properly. Where we can be as loud as we want.”

 

“Yes,” Loki agreed fervently. “Maybe a few times?” Loki sounded cautiously hopeful as he asked.

 

“At least a few,” Tony assured him. He looked back towards the bonfire. The cheers and whoops had never died down. Whatever Fenrir had done definitely seemed to be working. “We should head back.” 

 

“Or, we could head home now,” Loki countered. “I could bend you over a table and–”

 

“Loki,” Tony grinned and tugged him back away from the trees. “At the  _ very least _ we need to say goodbye.” There was an unmistakable thud of a body hitting the ground with some force, followed by laughter. “Plus I want to see what the hell they're doing.”

 

At some point Bucky and Steve had wandered off as well. Most everyone else was backed close to the flames as Hel and Fenrir sparred. Loki looked concerned for only a moment before relaxing as it became obvious that weren't actually hurting each other.

 

“Who's winning?” Loki asked as they stood next to Peter. 

 

“Uh–Oh shit!” Peter interrupted himself as Fenrir caught Hel between his jaws and flung her into the trees.

 

The silence seemed to stretch forever. Peter took a step forward, but Loki grabbed his shoulder and held him back. 

 

Maybe Loki had sensed the surge of magic that sent several large spikes of ice jutting from the ground, trapping Fenrir between them.

 

“Hey!” The wolf snarled in the direction he'd tossed Hel. “This is cheating! We agreed no magic!”

 

Hel reappeared only feet away from Tony, drawing flames from the bonfire down into her hands. The fire turned from orange to shades of green and blue as they flowed around her. “That was before you  _ bit me _ ,” she hissed.

 

“Love, give me your hand.” Loki's fingers linked with Tony's. Tony gave him a confused look as a pulse of warmth shot through him. 

 

Loki held his other hand up and a brief flash of blue light surrounded the group. His confusion only increased as he realized that Loki had just tapped into Tony's own magic. 

 

He didn't have to wonder  _ why? _ for long, as Fenrir broke free from the icy cage that Hel had formed around him and several large shards of magical ice shot towards them, stopped only by the ward he and Loki had created.

 

“Brother, we should stop this,” Thor said.

 

Tony glanced between the two. Loki looked unconcerned. “Or we could let them release some of their pent up aggression somewhere where the risk of mortal casualties is effectively zero.” He countered.

 

The sparring match – was it still just sparring? – turned increasingly violent as the two giants tore at each other with fangs and magic.

 

Despite all appearances and the growls and snarls the two were hurling at each other, it was still apparent that they weren't aiming to injure. As far as Tony could tell, no blood had actually been shed yet.

 

They tired out pretty quickly, and soon the two gods were standing together, panting and grinning at each other.

 

“You get that out of your systems?” Sigyn asked finally after they collapsed in an exhausted heap against each other. They both responded with vague affirmatives. 

 

Despite Wade's disappointment that the match had ended in a tie, that wasn't enough to stop him from fixing Tony and Loki with a knowing grin. 

 

Tony just rolled his eyes and determinedly refused to look embarrassed. He knew his teammates weren't stupid, and that it was likely most, if not all, of them has noticed their conspicuous absence. But he was confident that, aside from Wade, no one would actually comment.

 

His confidence was shattered by Thor clapping a hand against his back. “Anthony!” He said cheerfully. “Would you mind if I stole you away from my brother for a few moments of your time?”

 

He looked to see if Loki had any issue with the idea, but he only shrugged.

 

“Sure, I guess not.” He was grateful that Thor didn't lead them away from the fire, and instead only around it. Whatever they were going to discuss wasn't something that needed privacy, at least.

 

“I don't know how you and Loki are managing it, Anthony, but I am glad to see it.”

 

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Sorry?” He asked. “Managing… what, exactly?”

 

“I apologise. I assumed it was intentional,” Thor said slowly.

 

“Assumed what was intentional? C'mon Pikachu, share with the rest of the class.”

 

“Are you aware of the curse the All Father placed on Loki?”

 

“Which one?” He asked, not bothering to hide his bitterness.

 

Thor gave him a thoughtful look. “Understand that I never would have condoned something like this, even if Father had cared for my opinion on the subject.” He hesitated. “Binding Loki's divinity was cruel and–”

 

“Hang on. Is that what happened?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“We're talking about the whole thing where mortals can't worship him, right? Or, he can't benefit from it, at any rate.”

 

“Oh! Then you are aware.”

 

“Yeah. And, obviously,” he gestured to himself, “mortal. So I don't necessarily understand everything about it. But it sounds pretty fucked up from where I'm standing.”

 

Thor nodded his agreement. “As you say. It was a cruel and unjust punishment. But you and Loki have begun unraveling the curse, have you not?”

 

Tony blinked. “We've what?”

 

“That was always how Loki tended to refer to the breaking of curses. As unraveling them.”

 

“Not that part. What makes you say we're unraveling it?”

 

“Because of his reaction to tonight.”

 

“Oh!” Relief flooded through Tony.  _ That's _ what was going on. “Because of the fire?”

 

“Yes!” Thor fixed him with a bright smile. “Not just the fire itself, of course. But also the companionship and camaraderie that it represents.”

 

“Is that what happens then, when you guys are worshiped? You start feeling like you've been drugged?”

 

Thor looked surprised for a moment before laughing. “It depends,” he offered. “But I imagine it could have that effect since he's not used to it.”

 

“So it won't always be like that, then?”

 

“I shouldn't think so, no.”

 

“Good.” Tony sighed. “I'm pretty sure this freaked him out for a few moments.”

 

“He shares a lot with you,” Thor said thoughtfully. “He must really care about you.”

 

“He'd fucking better,” Tony grinned. 

 

Thor looked amused. “I never thought that your relationship was something serious,” he explained after a moment, continuing before Tony had a chance to voice his offense. “After everything Loki went through, much of which I don't believe I'm privy to, he seemed largely disinterested in interpersonal relationships of any kind. Closing himself off from Father and myself I understood, but he became cold even towards Mother. So, after several hundred years of  _ nothing _ , I rather expected that you were just…”

 

Tony shrugged, the familiar weight of his own doubt settling in. “Well, I'm glad you've caught up, then. And realized that we are “something serious”.”

 

“Are you two just gonna keep hiding out over here?” Bruce asked as he came into view.

 

Right. They had basically zero privacy there. “Maybe!” Tony called back.

 

Bruce just looked at them expectantly.

 

“Alright, coming dear,” Tony patted Thor on the arm. “Good talk, Maximus.”

 

“Did we miss anything exciting?” Tony asked as they returned to the group.

 

“Not yet,” Clint told them. “But those of us who haven't lost our minds are going to head to the house.”

 

“Already?” Thor looked disappointed.

 

“Yeah. It's dark and cold and it's only going to get colder,” Bruce explained.

 

“Where is your spirit of adventure?” Thor asked.

 

“With Hulk. Hulk has a monopoly on our spirit of adventure.”

 

“Well, would Hulk like to camp with us, then?” Tony offered.

 

“Ooooh, yes!” Wade perked up at that suggestion. “What?” He asked at Peter's exasperated look. “I haven't met Hulk, yet, and he sounds like a cool dude.”

 

“Well, bad news, Wade, you're not meeting him tonight either,” Bruce crossed his arms. “I'm pretty sure everyone would prefer a much more controlled environment for when Hulk and Fenrir meet.”

 

They bid Bruce and Clint a good night. Apparently Bucky and Steve had already gotten to the house sometime earlier. 

 

It took another hour or so, but eventually he found he didn't even completely hate spending time with Wade. In this very specific setting. When there were at least two people separating them at any given time. And they kept their own interactions to a bare minimum.

 

“Wusses!” Fenrir had hissed teasingly after Peter started drifting off and Wade insisted that the two of them go to sleep.

 

“We need a Yule log,” Hel stated decisively.

 

“Yule's not for several days,” Sigyn pointed out.

 

“Then we will need a Yule log in several days,” Hel corrected easily.

 

Fenrir stretched out on his side. “I wish I'd realized how close we were to the solstice.” It was the first time Tony had heard Fenrir sound sad. “I would have–”

 

“Don't,” Sigyn said gently. “Don't do that to yourself. There was nothing more you could have done.”

 

“It feels like there should be, though,” Hel muttered.

 

“Are we talking about Váli?” Tony asked cautiously.

 

Fenrir huffed. “Yeah. Solstices aren't the same without them.”

 

Hel giggled softly. “They're certainly quieter,” she mused. “Norns they were insufferable.”

 

“Hel!” Sigyn chided.

 

She was immediately backed up by Loki's, “They were children!”

 

Thor was laughing. “Because children can't be insufferable?”

 

“Shut up. They weren't that bad,” Loki insisted, “they were adorable.”

 

“No, Faðir, they weren't,” Fenrir insisted, his tail wagging. “And to claim otherwise is to be blinded by nostalgia.”

 

“What would they do?” Tony asked.

 

Loki hesitated for a moment before smiling. “Váli wa–is the god of,” he paused. “I feel that just saying sunlight oversimplifies it.”

 

“Sunlight as the days grow longer after midwinter,” Sigyn provided. 

 

“Oh. So like in a few days, after the solstice?” 

 

“Correct,” Sigyn said.

 

“Also archery,” Hel pointed out.

 

“He's the god of archery? Shit, we should tell Clint.”

 

Loki laughed. “Maybe.”

 

“So, I can see why this time of year would make Váli… what, excitable?”

 

“That's one word for it.” Fenrir said.

 

“But what about Narfi?”

 

“In the same way that Váli is the embodiment of longer days, Narfi was the embodiment of longer nights.”

 

“So… on the solstice, they switched? Going from the longest day or night of the year, to the other one?”

 

“Yep,” Fenrir confirmed. “And they liked to try to one up each other all the time anyway.”

 

“Don't misunderstand, Anthony, they were sweet boys,” Hel added. “It's just that twice I year I'd find myself wondering if I could get Fen or Jǫr to eat them.”

 

“You did not!” Loki hissed.

 

“I only wondered! I'd never have acted on it,” Hel looked mildly offended.

 

“Plus, Jǫr would never have had the guts to even look at them wrong. He's a pretty cowardly giant.” Fenrir was grinning.

 

“He bit me,” Thor argued.

 

“Sure,” Fenrir agreed, “but he doesn't  _ like  _ you. You smell funny.”

 

“I do not!”

 

“It's because you're Æsir,” Hel explained. 

 

“Loki’s an Æsir,” Thor gestured towards him.

 

“I'm also their father,” Loki chuckled. “Plus they've all bitten me, too.”

 

“I haven't!” Hel insisted. 

 

“You absolutely have. But you were very small, I don't hold it against you.”

 

Hel huffed a laugh. “I'd hope not. It doesn't count if I was still a baby.”

 

“I said small, not a baby. You toddled up and bit me on the leg.”

 

Fenrir dragged a paw over his muzzle as he laughed, his whole body shaking with the force of his amusement. “What the fuck? Why?” As near as Tony could tell, Hel looked embarrassed.

 

“I don't know, she didn't talk much yet.”

 

Thor was laughing almost as hard as Fenrir. “Don't feel badly, Hel. Loki and I were much more difficult children.”

 

“Yeah?” Tony asked.

 

“Thor used to zap people whenever he didn't get his way.”

 

“I couldn't control it very well, yet.” Thor didn't look fazed by Loki's claim. “Besides, you weren't much better.”

 

“I didn't go around randomly hurting anyone.”

 

“You stabbed me when we were 8.”

 

“Yes,” Loki agreed, “because the day before you threw a tree at me.”

 

“It was barely a sapling.”

 

“You threw it at me,” Loki repeated. “And I was 8.”

 

Loki looked amused when he caught Tony's distressed expression. “You have to understand, that unlike human children, neither of us were actually hurt by those pranks.”

 

“I don't think stabbing someone counts as a prank.”

 

The god only shrugged. “It did in our family.”

 

Tony could only smile as the others continued swapping stories from their childhoods. Things they'd done, or had done to them. Pranks and fights made up a lot of the stories until Thor shared one about being incredibly impressed by one of Loki's spells. The tone shifted and soon Hel and Fenrir were happily sharing many of the remarkable things that they'd seen their younger brothers do over the years. 

 

Later they curled up in the tent a few hours before everyone was supposed to be regrouping in order to leave. Exactly how that was going to turn out was hard to guess given how much most of the group had hated making use of the Realm Between Realms. But Thor was able to use the Bifrost, and he'd claimed that it was a far superior way to travel.

 

“You know, you're a really good dad,” Tony whispered.

 

“I appreciate the sentiment,” Loki replied.

 

“It's not just sentiment. You've got a couple of great kids out there. And they're only mildly neurotic.”

 

Loki laughed and pulled him closer. “Don't call my children neurotic.”

 

“Only mildly, I said. And I think most of it is from Odin being a bag of dicks, not because of you.”

 

“Go to sleep, Tony.”

 

Tony hummed. “Still gonna bend me over something tomorrow?”

 

“Hush,” Loki's hand came up and covered his mouth. “And yes.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter for holiday fun times. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Better late than never, right? :3  
> Yule! And smut! Huzzah!  
> I hope everyone is having a good year so far!

__ And all along I believed I would find you   
Time has brought your heart to me   
I have loved you for a thousand years   
I'll love you for a thousand more

_ —Christina  _ Perri,  _ A Thousand Years _

 

_Dec 21st, 2019_

 

**Loki**

 

The elevator door had barely closed before Loki pressed Tony against the wall, capturing his mouth in a heated kiss. His human laughed against him. 

 

“Eager much?” Tony teased as he slipped from between Loki and the wall and out of the elevator. 

 

Tony must have expected Loki to give chase, which he did, because halfway through the living room he turned and pulled Loki into another kiss. 

 

Loki brought one hand up to grasp the short hair on the back of Tony's head, just barely long enough to really grip. As he ducked his head down to suck a mark onto a particularly sensitive part of Tony's neck, he could smell the beginnings of his human’s arousal. It made him want to hold Tony against him and  _ bite _ until he was crying.

 

_ Later _ , he told himself,  _ maybe. _ It could be surprisingly tricky to get Tony to cry. Just pain wasn't enough. Well, that wasn't necessarily true. Anyone would cry if you hurt them enough, even if it took some time to find what made them break.

 

But Tony wasn't someone he wanted to break, not really. Crack and fracture from time to time, perhaps, but not break. 

 

He grinned against the bruise that he'd made when Tony reached between them and started working Loki's shirt open. “Now who's eager?” He purred.

 

“Both of us. Shut up.”

 

“Want me to just–”

 

“Fuck it, yes.”

 

Loki laughed then, and with barely a thought their clothing vanished off of them. He dropped the hand from Tony's hair and wrapped it around his waist instead. With his other hand he used slow gentle strokes to bring him to full hardness. Loki pulled him back into a kiss as he stroked, and before long Tony all but melted against him.

 

“Do you still want me to bend you over something? Or would you rather head to the bedroom?” Tony didn't have the same manic energy that usually preceded their more aggressive coupling. And the way he'd relaxed into Loki's hold brought plenty of other fun things to mind.

 

Tony was quiet for a moment as he considered. “Over something” he decided. “After you brought it up yesterday, I haven't really been able to stop thinking about it.”

 

He smirked at Tony's admission. “As you wish.” He released his hold on his human and gave him a gentle shove between the shoulder blades in the direction of their table. “Table. Go.”

 

His human glanced back. He looked confused for a brief second before his jaw tightened. Tony had been expecting Loki to drag him over to the table and force him down. Which he could still do. But he wanted to see what Tony would do with his request. 

 

It wasn't as if Tony didn't enjoy the things that followed doing what Loki asked, he knew. But he still couldn't help that little bit of fight that told him not to just give up control. 

 

So Loki just gave him an expectant look and waited. But he watched Tony's carefully schooled expression for any sign that this wasn't something he wanted. After another few seconds Tony turned and walked over to the table, leaning over it while keeping himself braced on his forearms. 

 

A good effort.  _ “My good mortal,”  _ he praised, shedding the AllSpeak from his words as he stepped closer. “Good, but not quite what I was after,” he continued. He grabbed the back of Tony's neck and pushed down. Not hard enough to risk hurting him, but enough so that he could tell himself he didn't have a choice in the matter.

 

Tony stretched his arms out so that his chest and stomach could lay flat against the table. 

 

“Much better.” He paused. “That's not going to bother the Reactor, is it?” Loki didn't think so, but after Tony had shown him exactly what having the machine embedded in his body had done to him, he didn't want to leave it to chance.

 

“Should be fine,” Tony assured him. “You'll know if that changes.”

 

Loki laughed. “I'm sure I will.” He ran his fingers purposefully down Tony's spine, counting the vertebrae as he went. He didn't want it to be a surprise as he pressed two spell-slicked fingers against Tony's hole. There was only a few breaths’ resistance before the muscles relaxed, letting him slip inside the heat of his lover's body.

 

Tony released a pleased sigh as Loki fingered him. 

 

“Feeling good, Pet?”

 

“Mmhmm.” But one of Tony's fingernails tapped against the table. 

 

For a moment Loki debated asking what Tony was thinking about. Whatever it was was enough to keep him from staying fully present. Which didn't mean that the intrusive thought was anything of import, necessarily. Although if Tony tried to leave because he'd figured out something for one of his projects, Loki wasn't above holding him down and fucking him while he dictated his thoughts to JARVIS. 

 

“Loki,” Tony spoke before he had decided what he wanted to do. His voice was tight and mildly anxious. “Why are you still here?”

 

Loki stopped the thrusting of his fingers, confused. He wasn't sure what Tony was referring to. Tony had made it abundantly clear that he wanted Loki to stay with him, and that was a strange way to refer to his fingers in Tony's ass, so that was also an unlikely option.

 

Tony glanced back towards him, his eyes widened. He didn't like the way anxiety tightened its grip, nor the undercurrent of fear that he could smell on his human. It was an unacceptable sort of fear, and he couldn't place the cause. 

 

“What?”

 

“Fuck, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I couldn't have phrased that any worse.”

 

He had to fight back a growl of irritation as Tony backpedaled. He couldn't follow his train of thought well enough to do more than guess at why he was apologizing. “Then try again, what did you mean?” He prompted when it became obvious that Tony was waiting for some sort of reaction.

 

“Last night, Thor–”

 

Loki let himself growl then. “Are you seriously going to talk about my brother right now?”

 

“Why me?” 

 

What had that fool brother of his gone on about last night? “Why you, what?”

 

“You gonna growl at me again if I try to explain?” 

 

That was better. Tony's voice had an edge of challenge to it. The fear wasn't gone, but it had lessened. “Are you going to keep talking about Thor?” He curled his fingers, making Tony shudder.

 

“A little.” Tony tried to press back against his fingers and Loki was delighted to realize that he was just short enough that this position kept him from getting any decent leverage with his legs. Tony let out an annoyed sound as he came to the same realization. “Last night, he mentioned that you–Christ, would you stop that? I'm trying to think.”

 

“No,” he said evenly, and continued curling and straightening his fingers. “But do go on, what did Thor say about me?”

 

Tony huffed and squirmed, trying fruitlessly to get away. “Damn it, I'm serious,” he complained.

 

“Fine,” Loki relented. He didn't withdraw, but he did at least hold still.

 

He watched as Tony took a deep breath to calm himself. “He said that for the last… fucking few hundred years? That you've been cold and distant towards everyone.”

 

Well, Thor wasn't wrong. “And?”

 

“And what changed?”

 

“Nothing changed.”

 

Tony shifted until he could give Loki a disbelieving look. “Liar.”

 

Loki sighed. “What  _ changed _ ,” he started slowly, “was getting to know you. Despite my best efforts, I found that I liked you. I liked being around you.” He waited for a moment to see if Tony had anything to say. When he remained quietly watching, Loki curled his fingers again.

 

His human jerked and swore. 

 

“Up until around a year ago, I was planning to leave,” he continued. “I was biding my time until I figured out how I could leave without either The Avengers or Thor chasing me down.” 

 

Tony's expression shifted. “So I was a handy way to pass the time?”

 

“At first,” he admitted. “Briefly.”

 

“How briefly?”

 

“I don't know, Stark,” he resumed thrusting his fingers, earning a startled yelp. “When did I stop being just a distraction for you?”

 

“I don't… Oh.” Tony let his head fall back on the table and closed his eyes.

 

Loki hummed his approval. “As I was explaining. We were having a good time fucking. And that allowed me a fair bit of freedom. I earned your trust.” He withdrew his fingers slowly. “It was when you let me leave, even though you won the bet.”

 

“Bet?”

 

“Mmhmm. That you could hit me while suited up.”

 

“Right, right.” Tony was squirming again.

 

“And when I got back and you hadn't slept… I was worried about you.” Loki slicked his cock and held the tip to Tony's entrance. “And then you–” He stopped, unsure of what he wanted to say. “You. You saw me and you wanted me. Not my station, or my family, or–”

 

“I wasn't interested in what being with you would get me,” Tony offered quietly. And how many people had sought out Tony in the same way? Not seeking the man, but only what could be gained from associating with him. 

 

With a snap of his hips Loki thrust in, relishing in his human's moans as much as his own pleasure. He draped himself over Tony's back, kissing and nipping at his shoulders as they adjusted to each other.  _ “Mine,”  _ he growled into the shell of Tony's ear.

 

Tony chuckled under him. “I'm pretty sure I've figured out what that one means.”

 

“Have you?” He rolled his hips. “I say it often enough, I'd be offended if you hadn't caught on.”

 

“Shut up and fuck me.”

 

With that attitude there was no chance that Loki was just going to give Tony what he wanted. Instead he moved as slowly as he could stand. It wasn't what either of them wanted, but Tony's frustrated whine made it worth it. 

 

“Fuck. Loki, please.”

 

“Better,” Loki said, rewarding him by thrusting back in properly, digging his fingertips into Tony's hips to keep him from getting shoved into the side of the table. “Asking nicely is much more likely to get you what you want.”

 

“Maybe,” Tony panted, “but we both know you don't like depriving yourself of what  _ you _ want.”

 

“I do have hedonistic tendencies,” Loki agreed and bit down on Tony's shoulder blade hard enough that he instinctively tried to jerk away. He hadn't broken the skin yet–that could wait. 

 

Before long Tony was gasping and making all sorts of delicious desperate noises. “Loki, please, I need…”

 

“Need me to touch you, Pet?”

 

“Please,” he was whimpering. 

 

“Are you sure that's what you want?” He let his tone carry touch of warning. Tony managed a confused noise in return. “You did say we could fuck several times. Are you sure you want to come so soon?”

 

Tony let out the most amazing frustrated whine at his words. Loki didn't think that Tony was desperate enough to come untouched quite yet. Those orgasms were rare and hard won and took real effort to manage. And it was absolutely worth the time and energy to make Tony fall apart like that. He mentally kicked himself for jerking them off the night before, making that an unrealistic goal for today.

 

“Not yet,” Tony finally said. The resignation in his voice brought Loki that much closer to the edge and his cock pulsed as he came buried inside his mate.

 

“I'll make sure your patience is worthwhile,” Loki promised as he slipped free.

 

He'd gotten quite good at the spell he used to clean them up as well. While it required a bit more thought than undressing them or creating lubricant, it was no drain on his energy.

 

Of course, if Loki had his way, Tony would be perpetually marked with his cum and bite marks, smelling as much like him as he smelled of himself. But when Loki had voiced those particular impulses, Tony had made his disgust at the idea unmistakable. And Loki was willing to compromise. After all, the collar Tony had asked him for seemed to at least convey a similar human equivalent. 

 

It took a few moments and several slow deep breaths before Tony was able to calm himself back down. “Fuck I hate you,” he griped through a breathy laugh.

 

“I gave you a choice,” Loki pointed out, running his hand through Tony's hair. Tony reflexively leaned into his touch, encouraging him to drag his nails lightly against his scalp. He helped Tony onto his feet and looked him up and down. His erection arched upward, the tip leaking precum. His pupils were blown so wide that Loki could just barely see the soft brown irises against the black. Tony had obviously bitten at his lips, given how red they looked. 

 

Loki hooked two fingers under the chain around Tony's neck and pulled him in for a kiss, licking hungrily into the other man's mouth. Tony's breath caught as his cock brushed against Loki's thigh. 

 

“Look at you. You'd just shatter if I touched you right now, wouldn't you?” Loki whispered. 

 

The fact that even now Tony could still look embarrassed was as delightful as it was confusing. Certainly nothing they were doing right then warranted any level of embarrassment anyway. 

 

He reached between them and gently caressed Tony's balls. Tony breathed out a swear and pressed his forehead against Loki's shoulder. Loki's hand moved up, keeping his touch light and covetous as his fingers traced over the veins along Tony's cock. 

 

“Last night,” Tony said suddenly, in a tone that sounded like he'd just remembered something important.

 

“Yes?” Loki's hand stilled.

 

“We were worshipping you.”

 

Loki tensed and his eyes widened. Suddenly his mouth was dry and he was sure he wouldn't be able to control his expression if he tried. Something  _ burned _ along his spine as he tried to understand what Tony had said. Because he had to be mistaken. What he suggested wasn't  _ possible. _ “What?”

 

“Thor said it was the fire and the camaraderie and shit.” His human's hips jerked, trying desperately to rub his dick against  _ something _ . 

 

He let his hand fall to the side, earning a needy sound from Tony. “Sorry. I need a second.”

 

“I meant to tell you sooner,” Tony explained. “It kind of slipped my mind.”

 

“Slipped your mind?” Loki asked incredulously. But if Tony had been waiting until they were alone… “No, I suppose that's fair,” he amended. He ran through everything he had felt the night before. “That's what being worshipped feels like?” He asked. “It felt different than when you–,” he stopped. Tony didn't worship him. He might go through the motions, and sometimes that was close enough for Loki to feel  _ something _ , but that wasn't the same thing.

 

Except no one in their group would have been intentionally worshipping him the night before, would they? 

 

Tony was worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “What?” Loki asked.

 

“Nothing, really. I just don't know why or how. Just that Thor thinks we're doing something that's uh, unraveling the curse.”

 

Loki narrowed his eyes. Tony wasn't lying, but he also wasn't telling the whole truth. 

 

He filed the thought away, and rather than press Tony for the rest, he trailed his nails up Tony's side. The break in stimulation had been enough for Tony to ease back down, no longer on the edge of orgasm. 

 

“Bedroom?” Tony suggested.

 

“Lead the way.”

 

Loki admired the handful of bruises that marked Tony's hips and back as he followed behind him. He felt the sudden urge to leave one on Tony's wrist. So, as soon as Tony was near the bed, Loki crowded him down onto the edge. 

 

Tony sucked in a sharp breath as Loki dropped down on his knees. 

 

“Don't get too excited,” Loki smirked, pressing a kiss to the side of his knee. “That's not why I'm down here.”

 

“It could be.”

 

He glanced up at Tony's face and could tell he hadn't meant to say that out loud. “It  _ could _ be,” Loki agreed, drawing Tony's wrist into his hands. “Do you want me to suck you off?” 

 

Whatever Tony was about to say, or however he would try to phrase it, the undiluted  _ want _ in his eyes told Loki that the answer was a resounding yes, he'd like that very much. “I wouldn't say no.”

 

“Wouldn't say no,” he repeated in a teasing voice before peppering kisses along Tony's wrist.

 

“What're you doing?”

 

“Biting you.”

 

Tony's head tilted slightly. “Right there?”

 

“Unless you have a complaint against it?”

 

“No. Just seems like a strange place.”

 

Loki just smiled and started licking at the thin layer of skin, before pressing the flat of his tongue against the pulse point there. Tony tensed for a moment when his teeth grazed his skin and Loki starting sucking a mark there. 

 

His eyes darted up to see Tony staring at him. Loki closed his eyes and focused on the way that Tony was trying to stay relaxed, but every so often a spike of anxiety would hit and he'd tense again, his fingers flexing absently. And all of that was just from the threat of Loki biting him open.

 

When he did finally bite down–still not hard enough to break the skin–Tony flinched and a half-aborted whimper broke free.  _ My good little mortal, _ Loki mused,  _ letting me do things like this, even though it scares him. _

 

After a few moments he released Tony's wrist and he watched how his human relaxed, the vague threat of danger gone. Oh, but how he  _ admired _ the bruise that Loki had left him. “You'd have let me,” Loki murmured, nuzzling against Tony's thigh until his legs shifted further apart. “Some part of you  _ wanted  _ to bleed for me, didn't you?”

 

Tony's cock twitched at his words. “A little,” he admitted. 

 

Loki ran his tongue along the lines of his name, burned beautifully into his lover's flesh. It had taken longer than he had expected for it to heal, especially with the Apple's seiðr enhancing Tony's own. But no matter, now it was healed and the fresh scar was pink against Tony's skin. 

 

He kept nuzzling until his face rubbed against Tony's cock. He shifted back until his lips were just barely out of reach of his erection. “Ground rules,” he whispered, glancing up to make sure he had Tony's attention. “One: Hands to yourself.” Tony's hands dug into the comforter under him. “Two: Keep still.” His human nodded quickly. Those two were par for the course, after all. “Three: If you're about to come, warm me. I'm not ready for you to be done yet.” 

 

Tony swallowed thickly and nodded again. He was willing to go along with most anything today, it seemed. His own prick twitched at the knowledge. Tony moaned as soon as he drew the head of his dick between his lips, swirling his tongue. Loki chuckled and wrapped one hand around the base of his dick, while the other gripped his hip. Tony was good about staying still for him, but he still didn't like to risk that particular discomfort.

 

It wasn't long before his human was gasping and swearing above him as he bobbed his head, his drool coating the thick cock in his mouth. Despite enjoying doing this for–with Tony, he often struggled to find the right mindset to let it happen. Even now as he moaned at the taste and feel of it, nervous energy wouldn't let him fully relax. 

 

He wondered, distantly, what that would be like. Being able to relax and trust Tony in this. To feel his hands dig into his hair and thrust into his throat and–

 

Loki pulled off, gasping for air. He growled in frustration at having let his mind wander like that.

 

“Loki? You alright?” Tony looked concerned.

 

“Yes,” but he pushed himself to his feet, rather than try again. Instead he leaned over and kissed Tony again. “I'm sorry. I let my thoughts get the better of me.”

 

“It happens to the best of us,” Tony smiled, gently carding a hand through Loki's hair. “Can we try something else?”

 

“Perhaps. What do you want to try?”

 

Tony's hand came up and rested against the side of his face. “I want… It's not something new, exactly. But after last night… I want to see what happens when you cut me.” He sounded nervous as he spoke, as if he thought Loki would say no, or be upset by his suggestion. Which was ridiculous, of course.

 

He watched Tony's adam's apple bob as he swallowed, waiting for Loki to say something. “You want me to cut you?” He echoed, straightening up and slotting himself between Tony's legs. “You really do want to bleed for me, Pet?”

 

“Yes.” Loki could almost taste the anxiety and lust and the tiny undercurrent of fear that thrummed just below Tony's skin. 

 

Loki took a step back so that he wouldn't impede Tony's movements. “On the bed proper, then.” 

 

Once Tony was settled on his back in the center of the bed, Loki followed, straddling his thighs. He pulled their blade from its pocket dimension with ease, alerting Tony to its retrieval by slowly twirling it between his fingers. 

 

His eyes roved over the lovely canvas Tony was offering up to him. His pain, his lust, his love, his fear, his trust, all wrapped up in this act as a gift. Something he would give only to Loki.

 

Tony shuddered as Loki reached up with his empty hand and dragged his thumbnail in a short line, just under Tony's eye, mirroring one of his own hidden scars. He wouldn't cut him there, but it was fun to see Tony's reaction to the suggestion.

 

“Maybe something festive?” Loki mused.

 

“What, like a Christmas tree?”

 

“I was thinking of something like an oak leaf, but if you want me to etch a Christmas tree into your skin, I can do that instead.”

 

At Tony's confused look he set the knife down carefully, and summoned forth one of Tony's skin markers from down in his workshop. Tony sat up enough to watch as he sketched out an oak leaf above his hip. After he was done he moved to the other side and drew a simplified sprig of holly as well.

 

Tony's head tilted as he considered Loki's drawings. “Not just random designs this time?”

 

“Would you prefer random designs?”

 

“Not necessarily, it's just,” Tony traced over the oak leaf. “Are you planning for them to be permanent?”

 

That idea hadn't occurred to Loki. He had only been interested in making sure his work looked nice. If he was going to work with the intention of his designs being permanent, that would require a different technique. 

 

“I wasn't,” he explained. “I didn't expect you to be interested in scarification.”

 

Tony let his head drop back onto the pillows. “It… maybe. But not something so spur of the moment?”

 

Loki laughed. “You let me carve my name into you with a spur of the moment decision.”

 

“That was different.”

 

“Okay, okay,” Loki leaned over and kissed his human's throat, enjoying the feeling of his blood pulsing there, too. “This won't be anything permanent, then.”

 

His mortal relaxed noticeably, even as he picked the knife back up and held it so that it just touched his skin. “Deep breath,  _ Atrëlv _ ,” Loki said. He made the first cut as Tony exhaled. 

 

Tony was really very good about holding still. His eyes were closed and he kept a loose grip on the blankets under them. Loki's eyes flicked up from the leaf he was carving to keep track of Tony's expressions. 

 

“You're doing so well,” Loki praised as Tony shivered at the deepening cuts. “You look beautiful like this,” he continued as he finished the oak leaf. 

 

A warm pleasant feeling prickled along his nerves as Tony's blood collected where he'd let Loki split his skin. He gathered a few drops on his fingertip and held Tony's gaze as he lapped the blood into his mouth. 

 

His human huffed as he watched, but didn't actually complain.

 

Loki sat back and watched as Tony slowly relaxed again, taking slow deep breaths. One of Tony's arms draped over his eyes and his hips shifted, his cock seeking friction. 

 

“Getting desperate?” Loki teased, shifting so that he could hold the blade to the other side of Tony's abdomen. 

 

“I've been desperate,” Tony muttered. He gasped sharply as Loki slid the knife in a gentle arc. Occasionally Tony would let out a soft whimper, and between that and the warm sensation threatening to cloud his senses Loki didn't manage to carve as much of the holly as he would have liked.

 

He swore and returned the knife to its pocket dimension. Tony looked down at him, and let out a surprised noise when Loki crawled up his body, kissing and licking at his throat. 

 

Tony tilted his head, giving Loki as much access to his throat as he could manage. Loki reached down between them and circled Tony's cock with his fingers, stroking him as he bit down. His human keened and went rigid under him as he came. 

 

Intermittent snaps of pain danced up and down Loki's spine, but they were easy to ignore over the feeling of how vulnerable and pliant Tony was beneath him. Or the way Tony whimpered as he sucked at the bitten skin, drawing more blood to the surface for him to lick away. 

 

His human's arms came up around him, one hand digging into his hair, and the other clinging to his hip. He thought for a moment that Tony was going to try to push him away–he was in pain, after all, Loki could taste it on him. But instead he pulled Loki tighter against him. Even when Loki gave in to his instincts and bit down harder, making Tony cry out, he only clung more desperately. 

 

It took a moment before Loki realized that Tony was whispering encouragement in-between his gasps of pain. He growled in pleasure as he rolled his hips, rutting against Tony's leg. 

 

Even after he came he only settled down, still covering Tony's body with his own, licking gently at the drops of blood that slowly oozed up from Tony's neck. 

 

“Loki,” Tony spoke into the quiet room, “roll over. I can't feel my legs.”

 

He waited a few more moments before shifting to the side and curling up beside his human instead. His spine still felt like static, but everything else felt as though he were underwater, cocooned in warmth and comfort and something else he didn't have a word for yet. 

 

Tony stretched out beside him for a moment, and then turned his head to look at him face to face. “Can I see your arm?”

 

Rather than bother replying verbally, Loki held his arm out towards Tony and watched him take his limb in his hands, manipulating it slowly until Loki's wrist was pressed against his mouth. In his daze he only realized what Tony was planning just before he did it.

 

His breath hitched as Tony's teeth dug into his wrist. He watched mesmerized as Tony sucked and bit a dark bruise into existence. His mate never broke his skin, but when he pulled back his wrist was already red and purple from his efforts. 

 

“That was ok, right?” Tony sounded bewilderingly uncertain. 

 

Loki blinked. Why wouldn't that be ok? “Of course.” 

 

Tony relaxed and scooted closer to him, removing the little distance that Loki had created when he'd rolled off of him. “I love you.” Tony leaned his head up and kissed him, licking into his mouth and dragging Loki's lip between his teeth. 

 

Not that Loki was inclined to dissuade Tony's uncharacteristically aggressive affection, but it did pique his curiosity. “What are up to?” He asked softly.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Liar,” Loki growled, catching Tony's tongue between his teeth and holding it. 

 

Tony let out a noise that sounded something like “Fine,” so Loki released him. Once his tongue was securely back in his own mouth, Tony swallowed. “You're mine,” he insisted firmly.

 

Loki scoffed and wrapped an arm over Tony's side. “I wasn't aware that was ever in question.”

 

“Right. It's just,” Tony was frowning slightly. “If we  _ do _ break Odin's curse on you? That would mean other people would be able to worship you and pray to you.”

 

“So?” Loki started, before realization hit. Instead of giving Tony a chance to continue his idiotic train of thought, he growled and covered his human's mouth. “Do you just not pay attention when I speak? I thought I'd made myself perfectly clear when I told you that I wouldn't care if you never–” He froze, the warmth quickly dispersing in the wake of his irritation. “Other people would be able to worship me?” He asked slowly. He lifted his hand from Tony's mouth. “Other people?”

 

“I don't worship you,” Tony said quickly. “I just meant that people would be able to. And I know what you said, but–”

 

“I don't give a fuck about other people,” Loki reminded him. But that argument was no longer his primary focus. “You think of what we’ve been doing as a sacrifice to me,” he accused.

 

“No,” Tony said too quickly.

 

Loki shoved himself up until he was hovering over Tony, their faces inches apart. “What makes you think you can lie to me?” He snarled, and Tony tried to sink back away from him.

 

“I'm–. Ok, yes! I do. But I couldn't fucking tell you that and it still work, right? Because of the curse bullshit?”

 

He was right, Loki knew. If he'd admitted what he was doing, Loki wouldn't have been able to take part in it. Something painful twisted in his stomach and he dropped back down. “I'm sorry. You're right.” Tony didn't let him get far, pressing himself back up against Loki as soon as he could. “For how long?”

 

“Pretty much the whole time,” Tony admitted. “I mean, I really  _ do _ get something out of it myself. I'm not being selfless or anything. It's fun and leads to incredible sex, after all.”

 

Loki couldn't help but laugh a little at that.

 

“And if I've fucked that up… I'm really sorry.”

 

“You haven't fucked anything up,” Loki assured him. “I'm serious. Whether we unravel that curse or not. Fuck, whether I'm ever worshiped again or not. I don't… Well, that's a lie. I  _ do _ care. But it doesn't change anything. You're stuck with me.”

 

Tony hummed and settled in against him. “You've got that right,” his mortal managed his normal bravado. “Because you're mine and I'm not letting you get away.”

 

* * *

 

Loki woke well before Tony did, which was hardly surprising. Although his human's sleep schedule had greatly improved, Loki was well aware that he still didn't get  _ enough _ for his body. Given their short lifespans, humans spent an awful lot of time asleep. Sometimes it seemed like a wonder that they ever got anything done at all.

 

He showered quickly, but took a few moments to admire the fading bruise Tony had left on his wrist. He worked a spell over the area–he couldn't stop it from healing, but he could slow the process and allow himself to enjoy Tony's work for at least a day.

 

Once clean and dressed, he checked that Tony was still sleeping and left the bedroom. 

 

“JARVIS, where is Sigyn?”

 

“She is down on your floor, Sir,” the voice answered dutifully.

 

“And my children?”

 

There was a brief pause before the next answer. “Mr. Lokason and Miss Lokadóttir are with Thor and Dr. Banner in Dr. Banner's lab, Sir.”

 

Loki paused at the elevator door. He knew he needed to speak with Sigyn, but he was also intensely curious as to what they were doing in Bruce's lab. He'd never seen the lab outside of video recordings, and wasn't sure Bruce would appreciate his coming by unannounced. 

 

Sigyn first, he decided. It was still early enough in the day, he might ask Bruce for permission to visit afterwards. They weren't planning to congregate to celebrate the solstice until late that evening. “Would you alert Sigyn that I'm on my way down, please?”

 

“Of course, Sir.”

 

The room was much as it always was when he came down there. Sigyn was sitting on the couch, looking out the window and watching the hectic movement of the city streets down below. She was dressed in something that would nearly pass for Midgardian clothing, so long as no one looked too closely. The effect was still jarring, as he was so unused to seeing her in form fitting clothing. In Vanaheim she had always dressed in loose dresses that wouldn't impede movement, or else heavy fur cloaks, if the weather called for it.

 

“Did you enjoy spending time with Thor last night?” She asked by way of greeting.

 

“It was an agreeable enough way to spend an evening.”

 

She rolled her eyes at him. “Agreeable,” she laughed. “You had fun.”

 

He sat down on the couch next to her, taking stock of the afternoon traffic. “I did,” he agreed. “I enjoyed spending time with you and my children more, though.”

 

Sigyn leaned over, pressing their shoulders together. “I had fun, too. Reminiscing. It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be.”

 

“You try not to think about them too much?”

 

“Yes,” she admitted, dragging a long braid through her hand. “I know I'm a terrible mother for it.”

 

“No worse than many others. And a damned sight better than most,” he corrected. 

 

Loki paused as she hummed noncommittally. It was hard, he knew, to admit to trying not to think too much about their children. But thinking about them lead to so many what ifs and what should or could have beens. He had to close his eyes to push those thoughts to the side for now.

 

“Listen, I came down here early because I need to talk to you about something.”

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“Yes,” he said quietly. “I know you didn't mean anything harmful by it, but yesterday when we met up, you used calming spells on Wade and Peter.”

 

Sigyn pulled away so that she could look him in the face, her own expression confused. “I did, yes. Why is that a problem?”

 

Loki pushed out a long breath. How to try to explain this without risking losing his temper? “Because, you can't  _ do _ things like that. Not here, not to humans. They aren't used to magic or sorcery, and most of them can't recognize it, even when it's being used on them.”

 

“But they were upset,” she spoke slowly, as if trying to explain her reasoning to a child.

 

“Then let them be upset. No one was in any danger. Being scared or anxious for a few minutes isn't going to hurt anyone.”

 

Sigyn was frowning. “I don't understand. I was able to help, so I–”

 

“So you cast a spell to affect their moods, affect their emotions. And you did it without them understanding that it was even possible, never mind being able to agree to it.”

 

“They're children. It was for their own–”

 

“Don't.” He couldn't hear that. Not and keep any sort of composure. 

 

But Sigyn was unwilling to drop it, “We've both used spells like that on our own children,” she insisted.

 

“And we were wrong for doing so.” He held up a hand and took a long steadying breath. “There were times, I'll agree, that not using spells to intervene would have been negligent.” That admission helped calm Sigyn down somewhat. “But this was a completely different situation.”

 

He sighed. “When Thor and I were children,” he began, “Odin and Frigga never thought twice about using spells like that on me.” His eyes met hers, “Only me, though. Thor was free to feel whatever fucking emotions he wanted to. To be as angry as he wanted to be.” 

 

That was something that had only made sense recently. He had seen first hand what a giant's rage could lead to, and he could now follow their train of thought, even if he was no less disgusted by it.

 

“And after,” he continued, “when I went back to Asgard…” His fingers balled into tight fists at the memory. “At first it was constant. The slightest hint of a negative emotion had them forcing me to be calm. And I. I was too weak to fight it off, at that point. I knew it was happening, could  _ feel _ it, but I couldn't do anything about it.”

 

Sigyn was quiet after he finished, looking thoughtful. “I see,” she said eventually. “I'll keep that in mind. I should apologize to them.”

 

Loki considered that for a moment. “Generally I would agree. But in this case keeping what happened from Wade might be in our best interests for the time being.”

 

“You want me to lie to your friends?”

 

“I don't want to have to fight my friends,” he clarified. “If Wade knew that you'd interfered with his mind, he wouldn't be very understanding.”

 

* * *

 

“The winter solstice will be in one hour and 7 minutes at 10:19 PM this evening,” JARVIS recited helpfully.

 

The gathered group was much the same as it had been the evening before, except that Bruce had joined them, and he'd brought a gift.

 

“A hunk of wood?” Tony asked.

 

“A Yule log,” Bruce corrected. “To light tomorrow night.” The man smiled at the unrepentant joy on Hel and Fenrir's faces. “Thor mentioned it this morning and so we asked Clint if he minded donating a tree to our cause.”

 

“The log is a gift from Clint?” Loki asked.

 

“Indeed. After I explained the difference between this and his Christmas tree, he was delighted to offer his assistance,” Thor grinned, looking as excited as Loki's children.

 

“So, how do you guys usually celebrate the solstice, then?” Tony asked, leaning forward in his chair to look over the log in Bruce's hands.

 

“The same way we celebrate anything else,” Fenrir told him, “lots of food.”

 

“And we tell stories,” Hel added.

 

“And burn shit,” Fenrir continued.

 

“You… You two are describing last night.” Tony said.

 

“Yes,” Hel agreed. “Celebrating on the eve of the solstice is also encouraged.”

 

At Tony's confused expression, Loki couldn't help but laugh. “It's the middle of winter, Tony. For thousands of years there wasn't much to do except to eat and swap stories.”

 

“It's also the time of year when Midgardians pray and share their gratitude for surviving another winter,” Thor told them cheerfully. “Many also meditate on other things in their lives that they are thankful for.” He looked hopefully between Bruce and Tony.

 

“What, us?” Bruce asked, looking taken aback.

 

“You are the only two Midgardians in attendance,” Sigyn said with a smile.

 

“That's a really easy thing to fix” Tony said quickly.

 

“Don't be difficult, Tony,” Bruce scolded, despite looking uncomfortable at being the center of attention. He set the log to the side of the room and sank down onto the floor. “I mean, it's always a good year when you don't die, right?”

 

Tony grumbled something before agreeing. “Yeah, being alive is great.”

 

Fenrir's tail snapped at Tony's leg. “You could at least pretend to give a fuck about your  _ Atrëlv's _ culture.” 

 

“Er, sorry.” Tony met Loki's eyes and truly did look apologetic. “I'm glad to have survived the chaos of the last year,” he amended. “And I'm tentatively optimistic about what the next year will bring.”

 

Bruce chuckled and looked thoughtful. “I’m also glad that I've had the chance to really learn how to communicate with Hulk over the last year. Life's a lot less stressful when I have half an idea what on Earth is going through his head.”

 

“You and Hulk are talking?” Tony asked quickly, his eyes lighting up.

 

“Yeah, we've got a little bromance going and everything. Becoming best buds.”

 

Tony pouted. “You're replacing me?”

 

“Only a little,” Bruce shifted so that he could lean against Tony's leg. “But unless Hulk suddenly shows an interest in physics, you'll always be my science bro.”

 

Loki smiled at the way his human laughed and dragged Bruce into a half-hug. 

 

From there Thor and Loki made easy work of cooking for the assembled group. It would never compare to the feasts of Asgard, but they were able to manage more than enough food for their family and friends. 

 

He was slowly and methodically braiding Hel's hair as the sun rose on the 22nd, bringing with it the new solar year. And a marked increase in Váli's strength. Which would either allow his son to better fight off Odin's curse, or it would make their next encounter all the more difficult. 

 

“This was fun,” Hel said quietly as they watched the city awaken. They were the only two still awake. “Faðir?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Do you think we could visit home sometime soon?”

 

He frowned from behind her. “There isn't really anything to see, anymore,” he lamented.

 

“No, um. I don't mean Asgard. I meant our home, in Vanaheim.”

 

Loki nearly dropped the strands of hair he was weaving together. “Vanaheim's your home,” he echoed.

 

“Yes?” She tried to look back without moving too much. “Where else would we think of as home?”

 

“You're right,” he whispered. “Hel, I'm an idiot.”

 

“Not generally,” she disagreed.

 

“No, I. I think I know where Váli is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so. Lying to Wade (or at least choosing not to bring it up) isn't cool. But Loki's still inclined to act from a point of self-preservation, after all. I just wanted to make it clear that I don't condone that behavior. :P
> 
> Up next:  
> OK SO. Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming out at the end of the month. (20 days!) I've legit been waiting for this game for like... 14 years? (KH2 came out in 2005, now it's 2019.)   
> What does that mean?  
> It means that I'm gonna work on some one-shots and such in between now and when I beat KH3. Because the next part of this story? Is the conclusion to this story line. And I don't want to rush it.   
> Note: Just because I'll be done with this story line, that doesn't mean I'm done with this 'verse. Ever, possibly. :P

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: [@Wolfloner-Official](https://wolfloner-official.tumblr.com/)  
> Twitter: [@Wolfloner1990](https://twitter.com/Wolfloner1990)  
> Discord: Wolfloner#9177  
> [Frostiron Discord Channel](https://discord.gg/UYDkNYe)


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